Wild Ivy
by ebell1
Summary: Even mutants need private investigators/ bounty hunters. Ivy may have bit off more then she could chew when she goes after the brotherhood member named Toad.However the brotherhood will soon realize that there is a reason to fear poison Ivy Ult.toad/oc
1. Chapter 1

**Wild Ivy**

**Chapter one**

When the second button popped off her vest, Ivy decided her day was going to hell in a handbasket. Of course she knew exactly who to blame for this bit of icing on her cake. Her partner and roommate Don who couldn't be bothered to dry clean anything and tended to wash those items not meant to be washed until they shrunk. It didn't help that she wore this thing instead of a bra so it was already tight on her in order to keep her breasts from bouncing around and therefore throwing her off balance.

Annoyed, Ivy peered into the gloom holding her gun pointed at the ceiling. She could also thank her current target for the Elvira look. He had apparently taken offense that a private investigator and professional mutant bounty hunter wanted to collect a little cash by turning him in on a missed bail. He'd let her know this by splashing a bit of gasoline on her shirt and nearly setting her on fire with a lit cigarette after fleeing from her partner. She'd gotten the shirt off with nothing more then a mild singe but she was still plenty pissed.

The toe of her boot nudged something soft and she paused slowly looking down. It appeared to be a large rag. She kicked it a aside and recognized it has the cloak and hood that her target had been wearing. Ivy pressed her lips together her eyes again scanning the gloom again. If he had abandoned it, that meant only one thing. He was preparing to make a stand. Don's voice came through her earpiece startling her.

" Ivy hun are you alive and conscious? "

She pressed her finger against the earpiece her eyes still scanning for danger " You're not rid of me yet. Give me a layout on this place. "

" Basically a basement above ground. It's like a big shelter for regional water and sewer pipes before they go underground and doubles as a rainwater cistern. "

Ivy shook her head inching along the wall. She had no idea what it was other then a large warehouse sized building with a bunch of pipes near the ceiling coming up from the floor and a few walkways over open floor that was filled with smelly water.

" You're gonna love this hun. That door you came through is the only entrance and exit. Seems this particular building is due to be torn down for code violations. "

Ivy smiled. Her target had trapped himself with her. She liked those odds. " Thanks Don. Radio silence. Out."

Ivy walked back to the door and slammed it shut. She then locked it making sure to click the bolt loudly. The sound hadn't even faded before a chilling chuckle drifted from somewhere in that room. Apparently her target liked the odds even better then she did.

Ivy carefully took her place against the wall and holding her gun at ready she began to make her way towards a corner. Normally she would offer her conquests an opportunity to go peacefully but Don had offered that already and had gotten thrown through a pub window for his troubles. Unlike her softhearted partner...Ivy didn't ask twice.

She was a mere foot away from the corner getting ready to turn it, gun cocked and ready to shoot when something warm and slightly slimy from above suddenly wrapped around her gun hand. Ivy quickly dropped her weapon not wanting him to get hold of it fling it away from her. She was actually embarrassed.

She'd forgot about his tongue even though Don had warned her about it as well as the other quirks in his file. There was a reason his name was Toad.

Her free hand scrambled on her belt near her hip looking for the weapon made for just this possibility. Ivy's feet began to clear the floor and she knew she had less then a second before he flung her. Her hand closed around the small hand held container and she jerked it off it's latch bringing it around and spraying his tongue with it. She leaned to the side squinting so the stuff didn't get into her face.

Ivy was rewarded with a loud noise that sounded like " Ack! " and Toad let her go, leaping over her head to another perch gagging. Ivy allowed the spray to fall and she snatched up her gun again. ' That worked better then I thought! I'll have to have Don patent that mix. It's sure to come in handy for a lot of women dealing with difficult men. ' She took aim.

Toad spotted her lining her sites up on him and leaped off the wall getting a hold of a pipe and using it to launch himself to the next wall. Ivy merely pretended she was shooting clay pigeons over the water and fired. Her first shot got him in the hip and his feet briefly lost purchase before he began scrambling again. Of course since her goals were always to capture and turn in her bullets where a hard rubber that hurt like hell. A head shot was her aim since that should knock him out. Sadly she needed to get him lower for that.

Ivy began shooting rapidly. Her shots started hitting his hands and he finally turned and began crawling a bit lower trying to avoid the pain that was in that direction. She fired two more times boxing him in and he leaped blindly off the wall back to the pipe. She fired at the pipe itself and it worked like a charm almost making up for the damn button. The rubber bullet bounced off the pipe and hit him smack in the forehead.

Toad cried out and his hands instinctively jerked up to cover his face in midair. She had a perfect shot as he fell and she took it. Except her gun didn't fire. Instead it gave her that empty snick sound a gun makes when it's barrels are empty. Toad hit the metal walkway hard and Ivy ran towards him realizing she'd have to fall back on her secret weapon which she hated to do.

She grabbed the rails and used them to give her lift as she leaped onto him. He'd just started to try to sit up when she landed on him. Toad groaned his body trying to curl around his pained gut. He shook that off since he was used to brawls and found a hand on his chest pushing him back and a gun against his temple.

" You bloody bitch! " he snarled.

Ivy blinked surprised. Don hadn't mentioned he was British. Of course Toad had on a bandanna of the Union Jack covering his head but with his tattoo and piercings she had thought maybe it was phase he was going through. Kind of a punk, Jamaican, gangsta look. He was studying her, no doubt looking for a weakness he could exploit and she needed to try to get his attention to remain in control of this situation.

Toad studied her wondering if their was a way he could break her neck without getting shot. In a way she reminded him of Summer's lady love Jean except this one was sexier in some way. Dark red hair pulled into a pony tail, dark blue eyes, high cheekbones, a wide generous mouth and...his eyes dropped to her chest where her boobs seemed to be earnestly trying to play peek-a-boo with him. ' Cor why don't she just walk around lettin em air out if she's gonna wear that? '

" If I show you my tits will you come along peacefully? "

Ivy kept her voice calm and collected and was relieved when it worked. His eyes flew up to meet hers no longer shifting around with that crafty look that had put her on guard.

To his credit he didn't get all goo goo eyed and start drooling. Other then the shock which was gone as fast as it had been there his face held the same angry sneer as it had before.

" Poppet, if you showed me tits, arse, snatch, and promised to fel-LATE me..I still wouldn't turn myself over to a barkin' bobby! " of course he'd consider an offer like that long and hard but that wasn't something this bit of stuff needed to know.

Ivy lifted one shoulder in a shrug. " Figured it didn't hurt to ask and I'm not exactly a bobby."

He glared at her. Secretly she was amused. Ivy would be the first to admit she was a real sucker for accents and his sounded so cute even when he was being vulgar. If God gave one good feature to everyone he had chosen a sexy voice for Toad and then given him a sexy accent on top of that. If she focused on that it would make her plan a lot easier.

Ivy set back deliberately straightening her shoulders slightly to give her body a tighter more pleasing look. She kept the gun tight against his temple a took a moment to actually look him over. Don had been very little help. He'd gone over the files and the description he'd given her was 5'8" , 125 pounds, green, and ugly.

Ivy had seen a lot in her 34 years and plenty of that had been ugly. It wasn't a term she would have applied lightly to anything or anyone. Toad's eyes a were a liquid black without a trace of white anywhere the same as his long curly hair and small goatee. His cheekbones where high and delicate, sloping into gently pointed chin. It rather made her think of Johnny Depp with his delicate face. Of course Toad would never be likened to that actor. His mouth was wide with a thick bottom lip easily out doing Mick Jagger on his most enhanced days.

She supposed it was his pointed ears and nose that really kept his face from looking pleasant. Rather then having long thin nose he had a short wide one, button like and tilted. He'd dressed it up with a nose ring which drew the eye to the silver ball that pierced the side of his upper lip. With his piercings and the large red T tattooed to his shoulder he managed to pull off his looks rather well despite the fact his skin was green.

Toad cleared his throat rather loudly and she realized she'd just been staring at him thoughtfully for a long time. When he saw he had her attention he asked in a rather annoyed, sarcastic tone;

" See anything you like pet? "

Ivy knew she needed to implement her plan now and hope he wasn't gay. If he figured out her gun was empty she'd be in a bit of trouble. She gave him a small flirty smile.

" I don't know..I haven't seen the whole package yet."

Toad frowned at her. He didn't know what her game was but he knew her goal was to lock him up in the slammer and make some lolly off him.

" Tell you wot poppet...put yer shooter up an I'll shed my duds an you can look over my package all you want. "

Ivy grinned " That's a good one. I can't trust you anymore then you trust me. "

" Then shoot tha bloody thing an be done with it! " Toad snarled " Why are we just jack jawin? "

" You have a sexy voice. I like it. A lot and your accent is making me hot."

Toad gaped at her his eyes going wide. His weird shit-o-meter started cranking up. Oh he'd heard it about his accent before. When he'd had to call anywhere for the brotherhood to carry out a plan the women and sometimes men would fawn over his accent. Of course they wouldn't touch him with a stick other then that but for someone to tell him that face to face? He tried again.

" Look pet..."

" Ivy." her lips curled slightly waiting to hear him say her name.

Toad licked his lips nervously " Look Ivy...why don't you give me yer number an let me go? I'll call ya up tonight an talk naughty to ya all you want. Hell we can hand-shandy together if you like."

Ivy actually considered that for half a moment. She didn't know what hand-shandy was but she had a feeling it was a polite term for getting off. The bail wasn't that much and and the crime was so old she already knew it would be dropped by the judge. However..there was her professional reputation to consider.

" Alright...but I want a boon now. "

Toad blinked at her a rather unreal feeling coming over him. " _Wot _?! "

This crazy cow had actually agreed. He couldn't belive it. She HAD to be taking a piss at him. He began filing all this away for later. This was the type of thing a bloke wrote to playboy an hustler about. Never mind he thought those mags were full of shyte. He wondered if he could risk going back and adding a few more perks to that bargain.

Something hit him on the chest and he glanced down. It was a black button. Confused he glanced at her vest and didn't know if he should thank God or just laugh.

Ivy gritted her teeth. She was going to kill Don. The last button did nothing for her modesty and she was pretty sure Toad could see everything. On the other hand..she could use this to her advantage. She needed him willing so he didn't suspect anything. He could still easily kill her if he realized she was basically unarmed. She took a deep breath and used her free hand to open the last button shrugging her shoulders to knock the vest off a bit.

Toad felt his mouth go dry. Again that scary feeling of ' too much weird shit he was loosing control ' came over him.

" Your turn. " Ivy murmured. He looked like he was in shell shock. Then again maybe that was better and she could get this over with soon. She was started to feel a bit bad knowing he didn't know what he was about to get hit with.

Toad had an urge to knock her away from him to protect himself. The only reason she'd be doing this was to build him up and knock him flat. He'd had coupla bitches that did that to him in school. On the other hand, his eyes dropped to her lovely perky headlamps. He was getting alot more this time around then he had. It might be worth bein made to feel like shit to see how far she'd take it.

" Toad? please? ' Her voice had gotten throatier. He looked at her puzzled feeling thick headed. " Your turn? Just pull it up..." She tugged on his shirt.

Toad flushed despite himself. This was..well bizarre came to mind. Like a wet dream....Toad suddenly relaxed. It was all a dream. He didn't really go out to O' Reilly's pub. He was asleep probably in the dirty bean bag chair. As long as Blob or Pietro didn't wake him up for stupid shit him and this lovely fluff could shag until the roof fell in.

He shifted up letting her pull his shirt up. He reached up and helped forgetting about the gun. Toad knew it was all self serving bullshit but he felt he could cope with the strangeness a bit better thinking about it as if it were a dream. He could even pretend the gun pressed so tight against his skull was there so she could have her wicked way with him. After all..the minute she started to blag and reality intruded again he could take her out.

Ivy studied his slim form. Body wise he reminded her of a bull fighter or a dancer with very muscular arms and legs. She gently traced one of the many scars on him making him suck a breath in. Ivy glanced at his chest and her lips quirked up. " Nice nipple rings."

Toad grinned and she was secretly surprised at how genuine it suddenly was. " You like em? "

" Yes." Ivy decided that now was the time. She placed one hand on the floor and leaned into him letting her bare skin touch his. He went stiff. She leaned forward more her lips brushing against his and Toad leaned back slightly his face troubled. Ivy felt a little bolt of alarm wondering what else she could do. Toad's lips parted and his voice was husky.

" Why tha bloody 'ell are you doin this again? "

Ivy met his black eyes with her own. " Because I need to....please? "

Toad hesitated a moment more then leaned forward thinking this could work to his advantage. His tongue was 13 feet long. He could suffocate her or cause internal damage. However before that...he intended to indulge a bit. If it was a dream fine..if not maybe his day would would end with him getting laid. God knows it had been a while. His last girlfriend had been about 3 years ago and he'd be the first to admit..all his previous lady friends had been harder on the eyes then him.

" Mind tha teeth luv....their sharp. "

Ivy leaned in and kissed him making sure she put as much passion into it as she could. To her surprise since she wasn't looking at him she was able to work up quite a bit naturally. His skin was softer then a baby's except where he had scars. His lips, though odd looking, felt nice and full against her own. She actually didn't have to mind his pointy teeth. He was very careful and not a bad kisser at all.

When he pulled her hard against him and got rougher and more desperate in the plundering of her mouth she knew he was truly lost. One tear slipped down her face and she was careful to keep it away from him. One tear. Not for him. But for her.

Toad had never tasted anything like Ivy in his life. As soon as he tasted her a sweet but spicy flavor had filled his mouth and gone straight to his head making him feel slightly giddy. It was like a potent drug and he had to have more. He pulled her hard against him frantically sliding his tongue into every crevice of her mouth. He was starting to feel tipsy as if he'd had too much fine brew. Nothing else mattered, not her soft body pressed slackly against him, not the gun which had been dropped, not even the fact she was part of the law and trying to take him in. He had to have more.

Ivy felt Toad's hands tremble against her back before they fell limply to the ground. She held his head since he was still weakly trying to taste her and slowly lowered them both down until he was against the floor. She slipped her tongue in and swept it around a few times until she was sure the deed was done.

She leaned back with a sigh and ran her fingers up his bare stomach.

" I'm sorry. Sometimes I'm known as ' Poison Ivy ' on account all of my body fluids are toxic. "

She decided it wasn't polite to fondle him while he was helpless and pulled his shirt down.

" But don't worry..I can control my saliva somewhat and you'll be fine in a few hours." She didn't know if he could hear or not but one never knew.

She leaned against the rail irritated it had come down to this. She tried to avoid using her mutation when she could. It hurt, serving as a harsh reminder of what she couldn't risk. She pressed her ear piece " Don? "

" Is he out? " As usual Don sounded too cheerful. She'd have to talk to him about that.

" Like a light. Pull around and help me cuff 'em, shackle 'em, and load 'em into the van. "

* * *

Toad slowly opened his eyes. His head was throbbing but he didn't recall sucking down that much poison at the pub. He lay there on an unfamiliar hard surface and stared at the ceiling a moment. It had a single light shining down protected by a grate. He sat up gingerly and looked around. The bars told him exactly where he was. The fuckin bobbies had even placed a bullet proof wall of plastic around his cell to keep his tongue from being used against them.

Leaning against the wall was a curvy petite red head watching him and suddenly it all came back. With a snarl of fury he cleared the room and caught the bars hanging on to them while glaring at her.

" You lil poisoned cunt! When I get my bloody 'ands on you I'm gonna skin you alive!! " He snarled.

Ivy didn't look impressed. " You don't want to do that. ALL of my body fluids are toxic and they all do something different. You don't want to be around me when I'm bleeding. "

" I'll find a way you bitch! "

She turned so she could face him more fully. " Don't be like that Toad. You'll be out of here in a few days I already spoke to the judge, she's a friend of mine. "

" That's not the soddin point you crazy yank! That's worse an tha fact you could have let me go without anyone bein 'urt! " He snarled at her " Wot's tha matter luv? My ' sexy accent ' not enough to keep away regrets? You disgust me! Sinkin lower then a whore especially with someone like me! You must a been pretty fuckin hard up eh pet? "

Ivy's mouth thinned slightly and she gave him a frigid look. " I only regret the fact YOU didn't mean anything you said to me, not that it would have mattered. Let's not cast stones shall we? Keep it up Toad and you'll get a nice long rap sheet where there's actual evidence to convict you and it'll be my pleasure to make sure you get put away for a long time! "

She knocked on the plastic sharply where his face was and started to walk away. She paused after a few steps. " By the way I noticed you were out of cigarette so I had three packs placed in your cell on the other side of your bed. "

She started to march off again and Toad called out before he could stop himself. " Bloody 'ell why?! "

Ivy stiffened then walked back to him leaning forward until her nose was almost touching the plastic inches from his own.

" Because you have a sexy accent and you gave me a halfway decent kiss even though I can't enjoy them you stupid limey! " Ivy shook her head unable to believe he couldn't tell when she had been sincere. Her body language had spoken more then her mouth had. " You men! No matter the color your all the fucking same....dumber then dung sometimes."

Toad felt his teeth grinding together as the little shrew went off. She'd pay..it wasn't just the jail cell that was pissing him so bad. No what was sending waves of fury through his body was the humiliation. She had managed to tear down his walls long enough for him to fall for the hope that someone saw him as the human being he pretended not to be and then she'd ripped his fuckin heart out when he should have been numb to such things.

With a huff Toad stood back and casually ran his thumb and finger along the seam of his pants until he found the small lump. He pressed it activating the tracker. The brotherhood would have him free in a few hours. He got one of the packs and opened it lighting up a cigarette and gazed in the direction she had disappeared to. A cruel smile twisted his face.

" You're gonna 'ear alot of my ' sexy accent ' luv....soon as I'm out I'm gonna work on makin' you my new little pet. "

*

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XX This is actually almost a story by itself. I wanted to throw Ivy

out there and see if there's any intrest in me moving on with this one.

Please let me know if this smacks of Mary Sue. Ivy is my oc

whereas Liz in my other story belonged to ONEWORDSTORY

Ultimate Toad belongs to Marvel XX

XX Please review. XX


	2. Chapter 2

Ivy finished up her report pounding the helpless keyboard angrily as she did so. It had been over a month since she had put the green Brit in jail and he'd been busted out the same day. After Ivy had read his file she realized it had been a hopeless cause for the police. You couldn't take down one brotherhood member without dealing with them all and she wasn't that good. However his escape was no concern of hers. She still got paid either way. She had taken the news with a grain of salt and merely kept a closer watch on her back then usual.

A thin file slapped down on her desk and she glanced at it still typing. Don opened it to a report and mug shot. " This ones not bad. He's past due on child support and missed his court date 2 weeks ago. "

Ivy glared sullenly at her screen only mildly interested. " How many kids? "

" Seven...by seven different women. "

Ivy looked at the mug shot startled. A fat pimply pug faced goon sneered at the camera. " He managed to get laid by SEVEN different women? What the hell was his handle? A vibrating dick? "

Don chortled and shrugged. " Maybe he's hung like Godzilla. Non-mutant too. "

Ivy shook her head going back to her report. Even Toad could hold his own against this guy. ' Stop thinking about that limey! Even if he had seemed interesting and sounded cute he's history.' The information in front of her set her blood boiling again and she began attacking the keys ringing fast loud clacks out of them.

Don watched her a moment. He hated to see her like this. It was no secret he loved her dearly. Not in any sexual way of course but if she had been his blood sister, he couldn't have loved her more. He placed a large beefy hand on her back.

" Ivy...it wasn't your fault. "

Ivy gritted her teeth. Right. It wasn't her fault. That did nothing to lesson her guilt. Their last target had been a non-mutant male 5'3, 145 pounds, who'd missed his court date on drug charges. They'd apprehended him with no problem after doing basic surveillance and learning that he had a thing for trying to hook school kids on smack to increase his business.

He'd given them no trouble and no resistance. The type of apprehension they liked the best. Unfortunately they'd been lured into a false sense of security. Don had leaned in to clear something off the seat when the perp had grabbed the door and slammed it on his head. He'd then turned clutching his cuffed hands together and swung them hard catching Ivy in the face. It might not have gone so wrong if he hadn't decided to hit her again thus smearing her blood across his fists.

Ivy leaned forward and rested her face in her hands. Instead of jail they'd had to rush him to the hospital. The medical staff hadn't been that confidant of his recovery and the damn doctor had been just peachy. As soon as he found out she was a mutant his face had gotten a cold disgusted look and she'd been able to read his thoughts as clearly as if he had said them out loud.

' Oh..I see what really happened now. This poor man was probably minding his own business and you couldn't deal with the fact that he's normal and loved in the eyes of God and attacked him. We all know how you freaks are. You and your mutant loving boyfriend here probably got off watching this helpless man suffer brain damage. Well you won't get away with it. All of you freaks will pay soon. '

Ivy had been hard pressed not to break the doctor's nose herself but that had done it for her. She'd felt like the lowest pond scum for the rest of the day. She set back letting Don rub her back while she looked at her report. There would be an investigation which was a nightmare. Her lips quirked sadly. Whenever it was a non mutant there was an investigation. She could fry another mutant guilty of no more then petty theft and most of them wouldn't care.

" Ivy? Why don't you take a vacation? I can deal with the questions here. " His warm hands cupped her shoulders trying to work the knots out of them.

Ivy silently scoffed. A vacation. That meant either staying home and feeling like the unloved freak she was or going to a new environment and risking fun little mishaps like this. Still maybe she could find something to do. Hiking or fishing or some other safe activity like that.

" I might do that. I'll think about it Don. "

" That's my girl! I'm gonna go visit mom tonight and have dinner with her..come with me. You know she loves you and you can watch her fuss over my stitches. "

Ivy finished the last sentence on her report shaking her head. " Rain check. I'll make it up to her ..she's due out for a shopping day again anyway."

Don groaned going to his desk and tidying up. " Ivy please...I'm begging you..no more Victoria's Secret for my mom okay? I had to listen to her for a month after you took her last time about what my future wife should or should NOT be wearing under her clothes. "

Ivy laughed shutting her computer off. " Don remind me...how old are you again? "

He gave her a sour look putting his coat on. " Too damn old. My biological clock is ticking. Tick-Tock, Tick-Tock. "

She blew him a kiss as he left and went to tidy up their little cubby hole that held a coffee pot a fridge and sink leaving no room for anything else. She double checked to make sure all the files were locked up and switched off the lights.

The crisp cold air stirred the collar of her jacket and she breathed it in enjoying it for a moment. She double checked the lock on ' Valiant investigations and Bond recovery ' and headed home. Most people thought Valiant was one of their last names. It wasn't. Don had only agreed to it because it sounded professional and brave. Ivy had picked it because she had loved ' Who framed Roger Rabbit ' and thought they were the real life Valiant and Valiant. Except instead of toons they specialized in helping mutants.

She walked a few blocks away to her and Don's apartment building unaware she was being followed.

Ivy sighed as the warm air hit her. The apartment was a a two bedroom duplex. Expensive but still cheaper then her and Don trying to pay for separate digs. They made decent money but they still had slow months that got very lean. Living together had allowed them to each build up a nice little next egg as well as have someone who understood what a day they'd had to talk to.

She slipped her jacket off and turned the TV on flipping it to the Sci Fi channel. Ivy knew it was a waste of electric but she left that on and went take a shower. The hot water went a long way to making her feel human again and she was pleased the swelling of her nose had gone down. At least he hadn't broken it. She slipped into a pair of Eeyore boxers, her cow socks..which where white with black markings and made her toes look like little pink udders, and a baggy shirt that simply proclaimed ' HELL YA! '.

Thus feeling rejuvenated she got herself a frosty beer and settled on the couch preparing to let her brain cook under the TV rays. There was a muffled thump against the door. Ivy cocked her head the remote still pointing at the TV. She lowered the volume. Another thump. It sounded like someone trying to knock.

Ivy set her drink down and slipped her hand under the couch cushion and pulled out a small hand gun loaded with real bullets. She clicked the safety off and made her way to the door carefully leaning side ways in case there was gun fire and peeped through the spy hole.

Don had a slightly annoyed look on his face. He was holding a large box and their were some some papers folded and hanging from his mouth. Ivy let out a laugh and opened the door for him. She turned putting the safety back on and tucking the gun beneath the couch.

" Mom send us home all the food ? " That had been fast he must have gone packed it and left.

Don mumbled something rolling his eyes and tipping his head comically.

Ivy chuckles again and shook her head. " Well, let me help. "

She reached over the box not noticing he wasn't straining in any way to hold it and it was perfectly still as if it were floating despite being such an awkward burden. She did notice her fingers went right through the papers. It happened so fast she didn't see it coming. An arm snaked around her and pulled her hard up against Don's body. She barely registered the fact it wasn't him when a foul smelling cloth was pressed over her nose and mouth. In front of her horrified eyes ' Don ' melted away revealing itself to be an illusion and a young handsome man with a shock of white hair smirked down at her.

Ivy began to fight but the drug was already making her weak. Movement caught her eyes as another man tall and broad in the shoulders stepped into her home. His black hair was pulled back in a pony tail and he adjusted his glasses before clasping his hands in front of him.

Ivy began to go limp her vision swimming.

" It worked like a charm Mastermind I was mildly impressed." The one holding her said.

Another voice " Yes, well..some of us like to actually use our brains Quicksilver. "

As Ivy drifted away into unconsciousness she heard a third voice familiar in a way she couldn't remember.

" Cor ! That was almost tae easy gents."

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XX Please review XX

XX wow this should be interesting to write , to remind those

who don't follow Ultimate X-men

The Brotherhood members are;

Mastermind

Quicksilver

Scarlet Witch

Toad

Blob

They work with Magneto. XX

XX Characters except Ivy and Don are Marvels. XX

XX Oh also..Toad is good friends with Scott Summers

even though they still clash being on Opposite teams. XX


	3. Chapter 3

Toad was perched on the foot of his bed knees drawn up letting his elbows rest against them in a frog like pose and took a long thoughtful drag on his cigarette.

It was a novel thing to have a beautiful woman tied to his bed. He slowly blew the smoke out and indulged himself in studying her again. Her hair had dried and it was fairly long and straight curling sweetly above her breasts, framing her face. He'd definitely make her keep it down. Toad found it ironic a woman put together like her was poisonous to men. Toad didn't think it was an irony Ivy appreciated. He thoughtfully continued to look his fill.

He intended to get more of gander at her body later. His eyes trailed down her legs which seemed impossibly long even though he knew she wasn't that tall. The view was marred somewhat by the hideous toe socks she had on.

He sneered at her feet which were tied together. Honestly..who the hell paid for socks that ugly? The little pink cloth covered toes brought to mind cow udders and he had an urge to start pulling on the bloody things.

He shook his head taking another drag glancing around his room. He'd taken a month to get things ready. He'd gone to a porn shop, a thrift store, and a costume shop and he figured he had everything he needed. It galled him how much he'd thought about her. He'd fallen and fallen hard a few times in his life and each time it had backfired on him and left his heart, not to mention his life, a bleeding wreck. You'd think by now he'd finally numbed it out. Toad blew the smoke out gritting his teeth.

This time would be different. Not only would he make her pay for humiliating him but he wouldn't bother groveling, pleading, and giving everything he could to a woman to be discarded like trash. This time he'd keep her by his side and he'd enjoy her for as long as he damn well pleased.

Of course it had taken him some time convincing to get the other brotherhood members to agree. Pietro had caved first, admitting it might amusing to watch since Magneto hadn't contacted them in a while. Blob had just shrugged not caring one way or the other. Mastermind and Wanda had been harder. Mastermind had finally agreed in ordered to stop the nagging from him and Quicksilver. Wanda had finally shrugged and dismissed them all as stupid buffoons.

There was a soft moan and her legs began to shift as she slowly came to. Toad waited, cigarette dangling out of his grinning mouth, and his hands calmly clasped in front of him. She opened her deep blue eyes and groggily studied the ceiling for a moment. Her hands shifted trying to rub her face only to stop with a soft clang. Surprised Ivy glanced up and saw her hands for shackled to a a metal head board. The cuffs were leather and satin lined...the type people used for BDSM play but the chains and metal rings they were attached to were very authentic.

Toad took a drag of his cigarette and removed it from his mouth bringing her eyes sharply to him. Her breath caught in her throat seeing him crouched on the footboard of the bed leering at her with smoke existing his nose like a gargoyle from hell.

" H'lo pet, miss me? "

To her credit she didn't scream or get hysterical. Instead she dropped her head back to the pillow and let her breath out in a weary resigned sigh mumbling " Oh shit. "

Toad found that amusing. He stood up keeping his head down so it didn't brush the ceiling and walked until he could lower himself down and straddle her much the same way she had straddled him. Her own eyes met his smug ones and she nervously licked her dry lips. The glistening saliva made Toad tense.

" Try somethin poppet and the rest o tha brotherhood will 'ave yer guts for garters! "

She didn't bother to tell him she already figured that out. Instead she glared at him. " What do you want with me? I'm warning you right now if you have rape on your mind it'll be suicide. "

Toad let out a bark of laughter at that. The bitch must think he was really was ' dumber an dung '. He had a healthy sense of self preservation and he wanted to keep his dick thank you very much.

A thought suddenly occurred to him.

" Even with a rubber pet? " He was merely curious now but she didn't need to know that.

Ivy grimaced. She had thought so herself but " Oh sure...that would work....but you'd better pray it doesn't break, tear, or fall off. And if I get excited enough to smear you with anything you'd still be dead. "

Toad chuckled nastily again. " Cor had some bad experiences haven't you poppet? "

Ivy tensed up under him fury making her reckless " That's none of your goddamn business you punk reject! "

A truly evil smile spread across his face as as he grabbed her jaw roughly. " Oh but it is pet. Let me tell ya what's what...you're gonna be my little pet bitch. When I tell you to fetch somethin yer gonna fetch it, if I ask you somethin yer gonna answer me, and if I tell ya to roll over so I can cop a feel or blow a load you're gonna do it! "

Ivy gaped at him. He's out of his mind she thought.

" Not only are you gonna heel for me poppet you're gonna do it quietly and you're gonna make me believe you adore it!"

" You're crazy! " Ivy glared at him her voice starting to shake with anger " You are out of you're fucking mind! You can stuff it you freak because theirs no way I'm gonna submit to that type of humiliation from you!"

Toad released her jaw smirking " Not even for my sexy accent luv? "

" It sounds pretty damn ugly right now. " Ivy snarled.

Something flickered across his face then it was gone leaving him with a cold remote expression. " Figured that would be the case so I 'ave a little incentive for ya. Kind of like doggy treats. "

With a smirk he reached around behind him to pull out three photos. He displayed them to her watching her face go pale. One was a photo of Don. Another was a photo of his mother. Ivy caught her breath sharply. The last photo was a little blonde girl who lived in her apartment building and often to came to visit them. Toad nodded at her horrified look.

" Any reason I can't skin any o them pet? "

Ivy felt her eyes watering a hopeless sense of despair welling up inside her. Trapped. He had her, she was trapped. " You bastard! " she said shakily and he knew he had won.

" Actually my parents were married pet but I understand. " He started to gently wipe away her tears away then jerked back at the last moment remembering. Ivy almost smirked at him but she couldn't quite manage. It would serve him right. The toad. No wonder he was called Toad. There couldn't have been anything lower then this.

He got off the bed and looked down at her " Now..are you gonna be a good girl for me pet? "

Ivy closed her eyes and nodded as meekly as she could. He grinned and picked up something on the cluttered side table and with a flick of his wrist opened a butterfly blade. Ivy tensed as he grabbed her shirt and cut it off her. He then moved to her boxers and she grimaced over Eeyores demise. Once she was bare before him he paused to look her over for several minutes. Ivy tensed again half hoping he'd forget and try something. He didn't he merely admired her as if she were a priceless vase then muttered something that sounded suspiciously like "....wicked waste. "

She was silent and accepting until he moved to cut off her socks.

" NO! "

Her panicked shout made Toad jump and there was a sharp pain as he nicked his hand with the knife.

" FUCK!" He glared at his bleeding hand then turned his black eyes on her accusingly.

She leaned up " Please don't cut my socks off! "

Toad looked at her incredulously " Their a bloody eyesore! Fuckin hideous! "

" Please! They were the last gift I got from my dad before he died! "

" Well he didn't do you any soddin favors pet! " Toad snarled.

" Please?! They mean alot to me! " Ivy felt a sense of hopelessness grip her. A guy who could threaten people without batting eye, with piercings in his nose, lip, and nipples probably wouldn't care all that much about someone's attachment to their socks.

To her surprise Toad angrily scoffed and walked over to the side table tossing the knife down. He started to reach out to peel her socks off and hesitated glancing at his slightly bloody hand. With a grumble he looked around and spotted a bottle of beer on the floor that still had a tiny amount beer in it. Under her astonished gaze he proceeded to dump that over his hand and and use a dirty pair of shorts to wipe his hand off until it was fairly free of blood. A dirty rag wrapped around it kept the blood from seeping back out and he was ready to tackle the damn socks again.

He peeled the socks off and placed them together turning them inside out. That done he looked around his room wondering where to hide the damn things. He didn't want to see the moo cow pattern at ALL. He finally shrugged opened the door to his side table and tossed them in there. With any luck the roaches would carry the bloody things off.

Ivy blinked surprised. She was happy he'd spared her poor socks but he'd gone even further to make sure not to bleed on them...even if that was the most unsanitary first aide she'd ever seen. Still that was...thoughtful. Respectful even. Not something she had expected at all. Especially not while she was helpless and tied to his bed naked. He startled her by leaping on the bed and straddling her again.

" Now..later on pet you're gonna call yer partner an tell em yer taken a little leave o absence. Then yer gonna call yer family an do the same. "

Ivy nodded tiredly. Of course they wouldn't want the police knocking on their door looking for her.

" Yer also gonna call any friends ye think that'll be a problem an call yer boyfriend tae. "

" I don't have any friends and my boyfriend is battery operated. I somehow doubt he'll notice I'm gone and he's not getting any use. " Ivy said in a dry tone. Honestly did he think she was a social butterfly? She was a mutant just like him. She opened her mouth to inquire about HIS social life but the odd look on his face stopped her.

"....well....right then.." He mumbled. His hand nervously adjusted his bandanna and his eyes refused to meet hers choosing instead to dart around the room. After a second he hopped off the bed stumbling slightly.

" I gotta go take a slash...just huh....I'll be back..." He opened his door and hurried out sharply pulling it shut behind him.

Confused Ivy stared at the door. What was that all about? She shook her head and settled back hoping he wasn't going to leave her tied up here for days at a time. She reflected on their conversations and then, much to her amusement, it dawned on her exactly what his problem had been.

Her ' British punk/Jamaican/gangsta ' tormenter had been embarrassed.

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XX please review XX

XX I hope this is shaping up to everyone's

expectations. I'm making the plot  
up as I go so hopefully it will be good XX

XX Take a slash = take a piss roughly XX

XX If I have UK readers and if I mess up

on British slang please let me know XX


	4. Chapter 4

It was a full 3 hours later before Toad came back and Ivy was getting slightly desperate.

" Oh thank God! " He paused in the middle of his room raising his brows over that.

Ivy squirmed uncomfortably. " Let me up! "

Toad scowled at her. " I decide when you get up pet. "

Ivy glared at him " If you don't let me up you're going to be very sorry.."

Toad snorted and crossed the rest of the room picking up his smokes and taking one out to light it up. He sat on the bed near her hip and smirked at her gently cupping one breast just to remind her how helpless she was. Well not totally...he also did it because he couldn't seem to help it.

" An if I don't poppet? "

Ivy blew her breath out frustrated. She raised up as much as she could and fixed him with a glare. She spoke slowly and deliberately as if he were a simpleton to make sure he understood.

" Look....I....Have...To...Pee. Let me up or I'm going to water your bed which will not only be demeaning and disgusting but probably dangerous as well. "

Toad scowled at her quickly getting up. " 'ell Ivy all ya needed to do was tell me ya 'ad to use the loo. "

He slipped a small keyring out from under the hem of his pants. He gave her an amused look while unshackling her. " It's not gonna melt tha throne is it poppet? "

Ivy flushed rubbing her wrists glaring at him indignantly while he unbound her feet. " If I had that ability I'd let loose now and hope I'd hit you! "

Toad let a out a bark of laughter over that setting her restraints aside. While she got to her feet slightly wobbly from being tied up he grabbed his blanket and tossed it around her. Then while she squirmed feeling like she was going to burst he hunted around for something which turned out to be a bag.

He opened the door waiting for her to step out. She did so, keeping the blanket tightly around her.

A short stint down a hallway with other doors brought her to a living room with an attached kitchen. She stopped and stared aghast. The place was a pigsty. There where empty bottles and wrappers strewn about. Especially around the two couches sitting near the window. A drop dead gorgeous woman in red sat calmly flipping through a magazine. Next to her was the man that had been called Mastermind. The second couch was completely taken up by a huge incredibly fat man who was busy stuffing his face.

Toad gave her an impatient nudge and she numbly stepped into the room taking in the rest of it. Not that there was much else to see. Near the kitchen was a scarred wooden table and some chairs. On the opposite wall of the other brother hood members was a side table containing a lamp an overflowing ashtray and some magazines. Instead of a chair a large very beat up looking bean bag was next to it. Ivy couldn't help but to take note there was a small floor pillow next to the bag that was not only clean but obviously new. Sticking out of the wall behind it was a shiny new ring. She got a heavy feeling in her gut.

Ivy turned to go into the kitchen where Toad was guiding her her mind still worrying over what was to come when she suddenly bumped into someone. She hastily backed up and saw it was the white haired mutant who had drugged her. He was smirking at her which made her spine stiffen.

He looked past her at Toad and demanded in a somewhat snotty voice.

" Toad why is this creature loose in the house? "

Toad grunted. " Move Quicksilver she's gotta use tha loo. "

Quicksilver brushed back on long strand of hair and cocked his head still smirking. " If you're serious about her being the brotherhood pet Toad you should leash her and take her out back to do her business.

Ivy stared at him appalled. Surely he hadn't meant it. To her relief, even though she didn't want to like him for any reason now, Toad pushed up beside her and scowled at Quicksilver.

" Cor she don' belong to the Brotherhood you bloody tosspot! She belongs to me an I'll take care o 'er however tha fuck I please. Now quite bein such a soddin arse an move! "

Quicksilver was suddenly gone and he reappeared leaning against the counter still smirking her way while a breeze stirred up dirt around their feet gently sending it floating towards him. Ivy filed this away fro later. Quicksilver was as quick as his name implied. Quicker even. Toad grumbled and and firmly guided her through the kitchen to another short hallway where a door stood open revealing a bathroom that was so disgusting she thought the backyard would be preferable.

Toad shoved the bag he'd been carrying into her hands and looked down at her. " These are tha duds yer gonna be wearin while yer here pet. I want to see everything worn, hear? "

Ivy nodded a bit grateful. She had been afraid constant nudity was in her future with an occasional blanket for modesty. A few minutes later in the privacy of the bathroom she had reassessed her gratitude. ' This has to be a joke. ' she thought. Of course it wasn't which made the request even more bizarre. There was an impatient knock at the door. Toad's voice drifted through sounding plenty irritated.

" Cor woman hurry up! "

Ivy groaned. She wanted to put the blanket over her and tell him to stick this silly ensemble where the sun didn't shine. However she had to think of Don, his mother, and Lisa the little girl who lived two doors down and loved Don's cooking. With a sigh of defeat she began to get dressed telling herself to pretend it was Halloween.

Toad paced wishing Pietro would sod off. Instead he leaned casually against the sink waiting for Ivy to reappear and watching Toad with mocking gleam in his eye. He shifted then casually said

" You know Toad pets can get attached to more then one master. "

Toad stiffened at the implication. " If she knows wot's good fer 'er she won't. "

Pietro grinned revealing his strong white teeth. " She may not be able to help it. "

" Ahem. " both men turned to look at Ivy who was leaning rather provocatively against the frame. " See anything you like master? "

Toad felt a huge grin light up his face. He knew it. He knew as soon as he saw that get up she'd look smashing in it. It was an erotic belly dancing/genie get up. The main outfit was actually a bikini styled g-string in dark green satin. It had see through sleeves that went from her upper arms to her wrists. The form fitting cloth belt hugged her hips with a chain belt sporting jangling gold coins over it. The pants were also see through, attaching to her ankles, and her bare feet..adorned with toe sandals peeped at him.

Ivy turned around modeling for them and Toad's mouth went dryer then it had been. With the g string she looked like she had nothing at all on under those see through harem pants. He heard a choked laugh and glanced distractedly over at Pietro. Quicksilver's huge grin could have swallowed the house. There was a gleam in his eye that made Toad stiffen.

" Toad, Toad, Toad...what a naughty boy you are! " Pietro pushed off the sink and walked over to Ivy taking her hand and kissing it. If possible she looked more annoyed then Toad did.

Toad stepped forward and pulled her away from Pietro. " Sod off ya bloody wanker! "

He turned and then snapped the last of her outfit on her. A gold mesh collar with a long gold plated chain. It had cost him a packet but he considered it well worth it.

" Toad have you considered therapy? " Mastermind asked walking through to empty his drink in the sink while taking a gander at this set up.

Toad ignored that in favor of glaring at Pietro who was talking gently to Ivy. " You might as well not entertain any ideas for escape. Slavery only has to be as bad as YOU make it. Do what we say take care of our needs and we'll make sure you're fed. Of course if you do any extra duties for ME " He ran his finger along her jaw " when I'm between women...like now....why I might find it in my heart to treat you extra nice."

Toad snarled " Tha fuck is yer problem? Knock it off afore I beat seven shades of shit out of ya."

" Sorry not interested. " Ivy murmured As far as she was concerned Toad was calling the shots. She winced as Pietro grabbed her jaw rougher then Toad had been.

" Of course being that you're now property I can take it from you. "

Toad hissed. He felt his temper ready to blow into violence but to his surprise Ivy was the one who rejected the threat. Toad had fully expected her to take up Quicksilver's offer. After all between the two of them Pietro had him beat on both looks and power. He was Magneto's son and leader of the brotherhood.

Ivy's voice was frosty and her eyes were gleaming with mockery as she looked at Pietro without fear " No. You can't. "

Quicksilver smiled then he struck. He moved so fast she didn't realize where the threat was coming from. He had her in his arms and his tongue moving in and out of her mouth at lightening speed stealing her breath. Toad stepped in intent on beating the piss out of him then paused realizing he could just sit back and wait. Sure enough after less then a few seconds Quicksilver sagged and then sank to his knees. Ivy held him up and employed her tongue wanting to make sure this asshole was good and out before pulling away.

She murmured to Quicksilver's slack face " Did I mention I'm known as Poison Ivy? "

Ivy let him go watching him fall face down to the dirty floor. Toad stepped forward intending to kick the blighter's head in but he missed. He frowned and tried again and he missed a second time. With an annoyed sighed he looked over at the living room unsurprised to see that the Scarlet Witch had come to her brothers aide. Wanda lowered her hand and looked over her brother. Ascertaining he was alive she arched her ebony brow at him.

" If you kill my brother Toad I will kill you. " The lovely woman licked one finger and used it to flip to the next page in her magazine settling herself where she had been on the couch.

" You failed to mention she was a mutant Toad. " Mastermind said studying his fallen comrade.

" Don't matter. " Toad snapped " Tis a done deed! "

Master mind looked at her his face bearing something other then the contempt they all seemed to be throwing her way. " I apologize Mrs. Ivy. "

Ivy stared at him hopeful that maybe they'd let her go and prevent toad from retaliating. His next words shattered that hope.

" Had we known you would have been offered a chance to join us willingly before we let Toad take you. "

Ivy looked at him in disbelief " What kind of choice would that have been? You're criminals. I'm on the OTHER side of the law and I intend to stay there. "

Master mind shrugged. " Pity." He went back to the living room and settled on the couch next to Wanda.

Toad pulled on her chain and led her to the bean bag and floor pillow. He settled into the bag and directed her to the pillow and after she was sitting on it he attached the chain to the wall. Ivy wondered glumly if Toad was going to feed her out of a dog dish too. There was sharp tug on her chain and she glanced at him. He held up the phone.

" Time for you to make some calls luv. " He reached over and held up the photos again. " Ya better make these good and authentic."

Ivy sighed. " Yes sir. " she hold up her hand for the phone and got another sharp tug on her collar.

At her confused look Toad grinned at her. " Come on pet..." He patted his knee the way one would to get dog or a cat to come " Crawl up here and lay on yer stomach."

He's got to be kidding, Ivy thought.

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XX please review I really appreciate them XX


	5. Chapter 5

Two hours later Ivy was forced to grudgingly admit this wasn't near as bad or as demeaning as she had built it up to be. Except for the outfit she could almost believe she had a boyfriend and was merely enjoying his company. She was starting to have a sneaking suspicion that's exactly what Toad had planned. If so he was a far more clever bastard then she gave him credit for. A captive not mistreated was less likely to try to rebel on him. Or so he probably believed.

She began to dial Don's mom's number. He hadn't answered at the apartment. Her stepfather had taken the news of her sudden leaving for the Great Lakes with little concern. Ever since she'd revealed her mutant powers at the age of 10 with tragic results he'd washed his hands off her. At the same time he didn't want to look like a bad father and loose the sympathy he'd gotten for his sacrifice by keeping her and so insisted she stay in contact as if they had a loving relationship.

Ivy raised up shifted higher up on Toad's lap and resettled herself. Her stomach lay across his hard thighs, her knees resting on her pillow on the floor, ankles crossed and foot tapping impatiently while she tried to get hold of Don. She propped her head on her hand using the bean bag to support herself. She waited for his mother, a sweet little old lady with severe arthritis to make it to her wall phone.

Ivy hated to admit to herself that what was making this so bearable was the fact Toad was petting her. Oh she'd gotten tense with anger when he started stroking her back from the nape of her neck, all the way down, around her buttocks before starting all over again. She knew it was meant to demean her further by reminding her he considered her little better then his personal dog or cat. However it WAS soothing and she found herself becoming pleasantly drowsy.

Her wondering eyes caught sight of one of Pietro's feet which were starting to twitch. He was pulling out of his unconsciousness rather fast but she suspected he might have a speeded up metabolism which would rid his body of her poison faster then normal.

" Helloooo? " Mrs. Rivendale's scratching old woman's voice was music to her ears in this hellish situation. Until she remembered why she had to call.

" Ruby? Is Don there? Oh..how long ago did he leave?..No no everything's fine I just needed to talk to him..You did? Oh well I'll eat some as soon as I can thank you mom. The naughty store? What naughty...OH that store right. Umm...I'll work on setting up another shopping trip for us as soon as I can...."

Toad had stopped rubbing her back and was smirking at her slightly. She pulled a face at him for eavesdropping.

" Yes ma'am..uh huh...well I love you too...you have a good night. " she clicked the phone off and sighed.

" Try again pet. I wont this done tonight." Toad said calmly.

Everything was going better then planned as far as he was concerned. Ivy would have been surprised if she could read his mind. He actually wasn't thinking of her as a pet of any type. Instead he was thinking about how he'd used to dream a pretty woman, dressed erotically, and not cringing from his touch would cuddle against him. Of course he'd long ago accepted his lot in life.

It was the kind of thing Quicksilver used to tell the other blokes. Once humanity was enslaved they could have their pick of pretty fluffs wearing next to nothing crawling all over them eager to please. Toad had personally thought it was the biggest load of shyte he'd ever heard. He'd never bothered to voice that thought though since Pietro had never tried to promise HIM that type of drivel. Yet here it was, kind of like a young man's dream come true. Never mind he was well past his young years. As long as Ivy didn't call his bluff she was his and he intended to enjoy her company for as long as he wanted.

Toad's ears pricked up slightly. Sounded like she'd finally got through to her slightly pudgy partner.

" Don? Hi..no I'm fine..everything's okay. I took you up on your offer. No you dolt! For a vacation! Well yes I had to leave or I might of changed my mind. Hmmmm? I rented one. Oh uh...I haven't decided yet at least a few weeks. Uh fishing...the Great Lakes. Yes...no I KNOW Don but you said you could handle the investigation! "

Toad frowned. He didn't like that word. Investigation into what? He reached over to the table and grabbed his cancer sticks to light one up. His lighter wasn't in there. He scowled at the pack an unlit cigarette dangling from his mouth. He glanced around the table trying to find it wondering if that maggot Pietro had taken it again and and not put it back. The aforementioned brotherhood member was sitting up now rubbing his sore head.

Ivy winced. This was going to be harder then she thought. She had apparently caught Don in a bad mood. She began going over her reasons for this sudden departure when Toad suddenly heaved his butt off the bag lifting her off the floor and nearly dumping her. She sqeaked startled.

" Toad! uh...I mean uh....I saw a big Toad!...and he uh scared me. No no I'm at a gas station." She turned her head to glare at Toad wondering what the hell he was doing. His hands were moving all over his pants in a irritated fashion. " He..it..IT jumped out from between two pumps. I almost stepped on it. "

She'd like to step on him right about now. Ivy realized he was probably searching for a lighter. Damn smokers. Where had she seen....She leaned over half standing so she could see the disgusting floor on the other side of him. She spotted the lighter and scooped it up.

Toad blinked. When she slid across his lap like that it had brought one plump buttock eye level and he forgot about trying to find a lighter for a moment. He didn't consider himself an arse man but he couldn't help but to admire that mound. Of course in admiring it he noticed something he hadn't before. He placed both hands on her bottom pulling the material tight so he could see better. It was a very small tattoo of an ivy leaf. Toad decided that was the most erotic thing he'd clapped eyes on when he suddenly realized she had twisted around and was glaring daggers at him.

He sighed and released her. She quickly got off his lap and settled on her cushion. Still talking to Don she flipped the lighter and held it out to him so he could lean forward and light up. He blinked bemused at that before he cupped a hand around the flame and did so making sure to tuck the lighter into his pack where it belonged.

With one last empathetic " I promise! " Ivy made her goodbyes and handed the phone to Toad with a huff. Pietro walked by them shooting them a nasty look before disappearing down the hall.

Ivy gave him a steady look. " Your going to need to let me call him in Two weeks tops. "

To her surprise Toad merely took a drag and blew the smoke thoughtfully up towards the ceiling before nodding. " So long as yer not tryin tae sneak calls in luv. I intend tae be present for every one. "

Toad was silent a moment letting the cigarette burn. Then he noticed his lap felt cold without her in it. He patted his knee. " Come on...up 'ere."

Ivy started to tell him off then remembered she wasn't visiting. She sighed and went to lay across his legs again but he stopped her and moved her around until he had her where he wanted her. Head tucked under his chin snuggled into his lap with her arms wrapped around him. He took another drag of his smoke settling against the wall to veg. Ivy raised a brow she was beginning to have a sneaking suspicion that Toad's idea of humiliating her was somewhat different from her own.

Wanda glanced over them curling her lip slightly in disgust. " Is she going to do ANYTHING useful Toad? "

Mastermind studied the chess board in front of him playing against himself was always the most challenging. " I somehow doubt Toad can think of anything useful to do with a woman Scarlet Witch. "

Blob chewed thoughtfully. " Maybe she can cook. "

" Piss off. " Toad mumbled " She's bein useful now."

The phone rang and Toad checked the caller idea before answering it. Ivy eavesdropped just because there was nothing else for her to do in this position.

" Scott! Did ya see that new shooter game comin out? Yeah! Well if ya do lemme borrow it a bit. Absobloodylutely mate! Hmmm? Storm did WOT?! Oh yer pullin' my wire mate! That's just yampy! Almost feel sorry for that bloke...... " He put his smoke out and then began rubbing her arm tenderly without realizing he was doing so.

She found herself getting drowsy with his voice rumbling gently against her face and his accent was sounding downright cute in a normal non-threatening conversation. Ivy drifted off listening to Toad pretend he hadn't done anything that would get the attention of his good friend Scott Summers and bring the rest of the X-men down on their heads.

She awoke in the wee hours of the morning with a horrible feeling something was wrong. Ivy sat up and looked at Toad the memory of the night coming back. Oh yeah that's what's wrong. Except even suddenly remembering her very depressing situation didn't make that nagging feeling go away. She glanced around. there was no one else in the living room and it was very dark. She turned the lamp on. Toad appeared to be sleeping as deeply as she had been.

Ivy couldn't help but to smirk a little realizing he was going to be a very stiff Toad later. She suddenly realized now would be a very good time to try to slip her leash. Except this whole thing smacked of obsession and she honestly didn't know how long she could protect Don, Ruby and Lisa and her family. She decided she needed to figure that out before she bolted. She didn't seem to be in any immediate danger yet.

That nagging feeling was stronger now and she frowned glancing around nervously. Seeing nothing she turned to study Toad. His face was slack his breathing very light. She found herself curiously reaching out to take one of those long black curls and tugging on it watching it spring back into place. Then Ivy saw something very very very bad. During the night she had apparently gotten extremely comfy and happy.

Where her head had rested on his shirt was a large damp spot. She had drooled on him. A lot.

It had soaked through his shirt to his skin.

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XX please review XX


	6. Chapter 6

"Toad?! " Ivy shook him and was rewarded with no response at all. " Toad! " She lightly slapped his cheeks. Still nothing.

" Shit! " Ivy hurriedly got off his lap and pulled him forward. Her first objective was to get the shirt off him. Even though her saliva was the least toxic of her weapons it didn't mean it couldn't do damage. Being that it was on his skin instead of his mouth his body would be slowly be absorbing it instead of breaking it down. There was no telling for how long.

She again briefly thought of slipping her leash. Except she knew if he was hurt she'd never forgive herself. It didn't matter if he deserved it as much as the drug dealer had. Ivy didn't want to kill or hurt anyone...specially not like this when they least expected it and it had been accident.

Not for the first time she bitterly wondered why she had been cursed like this. God must have had a good laugh at her expense. Putting her together in a such a way she looked normal and everyone around her would be led into a false sense of security, believing that she could receive companionship, love, and affection. All the while forcing her to reject it in order to save their lives.

She finally got his shirt off and used it to wipe away any excess drool on his chest. He'd need to wash this. She turned and started for the kitchen intending to get a wash cloth to wash the toxin off his chest. Just because it was dry didn't mean it was any less potent. She was jerked backwards and cursed. She'd forgotten about the collar and leash.

Ivy reached around her throat and tried to take the collar off. Her fingers slid over an overlapping tab of some type and she tried to pry it up. No matter which way she pulled it wouldn't come open. She then resorted to trying to pry the collar itself open but that wound up being a useless endeavor. ' What hell is this? ' Ivy thought angrily. She'd seen a few bondage collars in her time, who hadn't? She'd never been in one though and she admitted the few she had seen were the cute little gag gift ones with velcro. She gave Toad a sour look still yanking at it.

" You're a kinky bastard aren't you? Probably into whips and chains and all that shit. Just my luck. Great."

He didn't respond and his breathing was still shallow enough to worry her. She turned her attention to her chain. There was a small lock at the ring in the wall and she didn't have anything to break that. She tried unscrewing the ring itself and then just pulling the damn thing out of the wall. Nothing. With a sinking heart she tried to find a way to unlatch it at the collar only to find it was welded into the collar and she wasn't getting it off without removing the collar itself.

" Goddamn it! " She cried kicking the wall angrily. She glared at Toad. " It would serve you right if you croaked! "

She'd no sooner said that when his body suddenly arched up sharply, his breath hitching, teeth clenched with an audible click, and hands fisted tight enough for his nails to cut into his palms before he collapsed limply again. Ivy swore again. Seizures were not good. She began screaming at the top of her lungs.

" HELP! SOMEBODY COME IN HERE AND HELP ME! HELP! " an annoyed voice drifted from the hall. " Toad shut her up! "

" Toad's hurt you dolt! Help me! " There was a door slamming and silence. She continued to try for another minute before she gave up. " I don't BELIEVE this. Okay...think..."

She had to get the chain open. That little lock had to have a key....where would Toad put the key...she searched the table. and came across a little key ring but none of the keys worked. She forced herself to remember. Let's see he had put the collar on, led her over here, slipped the chain around the loop and reach behind him....behind him....

" Pockets! " Ivy leaned over him and began sliding her hands over his pants searching. By the time she slid her hands behind him she was plenty red in the face. He seemed to have no outside pockets but she'd felt a few items sequestered away on the inside. Of course she'd also accidently felt something she had no business feeling but she'd leave that part out when she retold this later.

Her hands slid over his bottom telling herself not to enjoy feeling those hard compact buns no matter how hard up she was. Closer to his waist she felt some small items.

She planted one foot on the bean bag and wrestled his lower half up on her knee so his hips where up and off the bag allowing her to slide her hands down the back of his pants. Of course he kept sliding which meant she had to keep heaving him up bumping intimately against him each time, and Ivy decided with disgust that next time she'd just let him die and save herself this humiliation. She felt the inside pocket. Well one of them. She just couldn't get down into it to get to the key or whatever it was.

With a grunt of disgust she heaved him up sliding a hand roughly up his backside to move the item up where she could reach it, face plastered against his chest...again. Her fingers brushed a small metal surface and movement caught her eye causing her to freeze before she could grab it.

Blob stood at the foot of the hallway gaping at them, eyes bulging, mouth hanging wetly open while he gazed at this dirty scene going on. In the living room of all places.

" Help me! " Ivy snapped.

Blob doubtfully looked them over. Toad was sleeping half naked and she had him pressed against her, hands down his pants, and he had seen her heaving against Toad probably trying to commit rape and she wanted HIM to help her?

He shook his head " No...no way. " He looked thoughtful for a moment. " I'll watch though after I get something to eat. "

Ivy dropped Toad and stood up. As calmly as she could she tried again. " Look..I was sleeping on him you remember that? " Blob looked slightly insulted. Why did everyone think he was so stupid? " Well I poisoned him. By accident. " She'd no sooner said that then Blob was shoving her out of the way sending her sprawling. He picked Toad up under the arms and began to shake him vigorously.

" Toad? Buddy? Wake up man! Toad! " Blob turned murderous eyes her way. " I'm gonna flatten you! "

Ivy gained her feet backing as far away as her chain would allow " If somebody would have come when I screamed for help the first time....look....uh...listen...I drooled on him..it was an accident I was trying to get out of this chain so I could get something to wash him with. The key's in his pants. Don't touch this area right here." she indicated a spot on her chest. Toad chose that moment to have another seizure causing blob to drop him.

Ivy flinched. That was gonna leave a mark. Blob stood over him wringing his hands. " Uh...what do I do? "

Ivy bit her lip. " I was going to wash his chest..can you get me the key and then move him into the bath tub? "

Blob looked at her as if she was crazy " I'm not puttin my hands down his pants! "

Ivy glared at him " Then how do I get free to help? "

Blob answered her question by yanking the chain out of the wall as easily as you please. He then leaned down and picked up the once again limp Toad tossing him over his shoulder. She thought she heard him mutter " Come on little buddy." Once in the bathroom he dropped Toad into the tub with a thump that again had Ivy wincing. He moved back to the kitchen to leave her to her ministrations.

The first thing Ivy did was remove his metal leg guards. He'd have plenty to be irritated about without adding rusting to his ire. That done she turned the shower on him and lathered his chest up with soap she found, then she rinsed him, and turned the shower off. Upon checking his breathing she was pleased to hear it sounding somewhat better now.

She grabbed a couple of towels from the the cubby hole and with Blob holding a very wet Toad, proceeded to dry him as well as she could. She grabbed the rest of the dry towels and led Blob to Toads room where she turned down the blanket and laid out the towels where Toads legs would be resting. Blob set him down on the bed and he and Ivy just gazed at the passed out Brit for a moment.

" I don't suppose you'd be willing to take his pants off so he's not sleeping in wet clothes? " Blob was already shaking his head. Ivy sighed feeling weary " Right. "

" What did you do to him in there? " Blob asked. Ivy looked at him impatiently.

" I gave him a wash and rinse. "

" Did you use his soap? " Ivy shrugged at him. " I used the Irish spring bar of soap that was in

there. "

Blob looked doubtfully at Toad. " Ohh he's gonna be pissed. You're gonna need the cortisol cream and first aid kit. I'll get it for you." He turned to go but Ivy's voice stopped him.

" Why? I mean...what happens if I don't use his soap? What's wrong with the soap in there? "

Cheerfully Blob replied. " He's allergic to most soaps. Has special soaps he uses. Otherwise he peels like a lizard. I'll be back. "

Ivy gaped after him and then groaned. She shot a guilty glance at Toad. " You are going to be one unhappy limey when you wake up. " she grimaced " And I'll be stuck playing nursemaid if you don't throttle me. "

She shook her head and decided there was no help for it. She moved to the bed and caught the waistband of his pants and began working up her nerve to get them off. The last thing she needed was for him to have a cold on top of everything else. She licked her lips and started to ease them down.

" Got the first aide kit. "

Ivy jumped and hastily backed up going red in the face. " Huh?! The ..oh right. Thanks. " Flustered she took the box and tube of cream from Blob. Nervously moving a strand of hair out of her way she asked " Is there anything you think I should have? You know to help him? "

Blob shook his head. " Nah..I'll be in the kitchen. "

Ivy nodded and placed the kit on the table before stationing herself at Toad's waist again. Just as she was about to try again to remove the wet slightly dripping garment Blob called out softly from the doorway.

" You know if you'd just wait until he's awake you'd probably get alot more enjoyment out of him. I don't think he's interested in that kind of activity when he's sleepin."

She turned and gave Blob a cool frigid look and he shrugged ambling out closing the door behind him with a mutter. " I'm just sayin....."

Once he was gone Ivy firmly locked the door and went back to the bed. She checked Toad again. Yes his breathing defiantly was stronger. She looked at his chest and grimaced. There was indeed a small rash appearing. She took the cream and spread it around hoping it would help before finally working her nerve up again.

Come on..it's not healthy for him to be in those wet clothes. Besides you've seen one before...well okay a couple before and that's not counting magazines. She glanced up at him. That sadly mutated face more normal looking in sleep, the long black hair, the slightly broad chest with gleaming nipple rings, his lean hard stomach ridged with muscle and finally the sharp relief of his hip bones under her fingers.

Ivy swallowed wetting her dry mouth and began to inch his pants down telling herself to pretend she was undressing a large doll. Crisp black hairs came into view as the muscles in his stomach merged around his pelvis. Ivy couldn't help but to pause and run one finger around that ridge. She'd always found that to be one of the most erotic parts of a man's body and with no fat anywhere on his frame Toad's was exceptionally well defined.

She licked her dry lips unaware that she did so and reached around to slide the pants off his bottom. Ivy already knew from where she'd felt him earlier that was also an an exceptionally well muscled defined area. Not to mention perfect. Of course she'd be the first to admit she wasn't fond of large muscular asses on her men. Not that she had any men in a very very long time. The fact she hadn't probably explained why her heart was racing, why her breasts felt so full and the nipples were pressed so hard against the material. When one was deprived long enough anything started to look good.

Ivy sternly told herself to stop being perverted. She turned her head refusing to look and peeled off the pants. They caught up on his feet and it took her a moment to get them free. She looked at his feet a moment. Like his hands they heavily webbed. Unlike his hands he only had three large toes and truly out of every part of him his feet were closest to his namesake.

Ivy turned and dropped his pants on the floor not knowing where else to put them. She was a bit rattled by the fact she still had to dry him off and cover him up. He groaned behind her and turned around to check him. Still out. The noise was the noise of one asleep and not comfortable. Ivy sighed and gave up admitting to herself her curiosity was killing her. She took a gander at him and promptly got more of an eyeful then she expected.

A giggle escaped her lips. Either the cold was having an odd effect on him or he was just having a very very happy dream. With a grin she studied him. Happily there was nothing bizarre about that part of his anatomy other then being the same color as the rest of him. He wasn't hung like a bull but there was certainly nothing complain about for whatever woman got to hit that rod either.

She chuckled again and picked up the dry towel and began to dry his feet. Then his hard calves she told herself it was the heat that was making her feel hot. Even though there was hardly any in here. She dried his thighs lingering over them a moment sliding her hands over and over those taught muscles. She dried around his erection trying hard not to stare at it but to her horror she felt it happening.

The only two lovers she'd had would tease her about how easy it was to get her libido going and it was. She actually had to fight herself several times during the day. She had a sneaking suspicion it was part of her mutation. How her eyes would seem to glow a hypnotic blue, her body would show every physical evidence of arousal a woman's could. Her mouth would water madly leaving her with an urge to lick something, anything...she'd grow wet enough to actually soak any undergarments she had on and her body would release a smell, a pheromone that had been described as sex in the air and utterly yummy!

Of course both of those lovers had died. She had a horrible suspicion her reaction was an effort by her body to lure some unsuspecting sap to his or her doom. Still it had been so long. She draped the towel over him and wrapped her hands around him making him moan deep in his throat and toss his head about restlessly. Ivy also moaned cursing herself for this weakness and leaned against the bed squeezing her thighs together. She stroked him, squeezed him and one of his legs kicked out slightly as he groaned again. Suddenly his hand clamped down on her wrist making her jump slightly.

Ivy looked at him still holding him in her hands. He was still asleep his face showing irritation. She let go of him feeling guilty and gently pulled away from his hand. Once he was free he grabbed himself and settled back down to sleep mumbling something that sounded suspiciously like " Roll over bitch! "

Ivy turned and pressed her hands against the wall not looking at him trying to bring herself under control. It hurt. It hurt in a way she doubted anyone else could understand. Not for the first time she wished the x-gene had done anything else other then what it did. After a half hour she felt somewhat human again and settled on a chair to watch over him. She couldn't help but give a tired smile.

Toad had a knot on his head from being dropped, his skin was indeed peeling, he'd been poisoned, and then molested on top of that. Even as a captive she was still apparently too dangerous.

" You poor thing. You have no idea what you've gotten yourself into. " Ivy whispered.


	7. Chapter 7

Toad slowly opened his eyes and decided he'd had better mornings. His head was throbbing, his stomach felt slightly queazy, and his chest to his stomach was burning as if he had a bad sunburn. He addressed that first. He reached up to scratch and then frowned. There appeared to be something dried all over him leaving scaly flaky ridges on his skin. Toad grabbed a piece and pulled flinching as he found out it was his skin. He stared at the large flake of skin in confusion.

" The 'ell? "

He sat up and realized he was in the altogether. He scowled down at himself. He reached up to rub his head. He had a nice size tender knot on his brow. Before he could scream for Pietro to demand what had happened his door opened and Ivy came in carrying a tray she glanced at him and smiled. It had a distinctly guilty quality he couldn't help but to notice.

" Glad to see your awake saves me the trouble of getting you up. I brought you a light breakfast and some ice water. You should probably try to drink a lot of water today. "

Toad looked at the tray suspiciously " I 'ate water. Fetch me a beer. "

" You need water. " She said calmly setting up the tray.

" I told ya what was what pet...need I remind you? " Toad snarled then he scowled " Now fetch me a bloody beer! "

Ivy gave him a cool look. " You were accidently poisoned last night and now you need to drink water to help flush the toxins from your bloodstream. " She held out the glass of water and he took it before he could stop himself.

She tensed keeping her distance half expecting him to blow but he didn't. His eyes held a suspicious crafty look that made her nervous and he gulped down the water without further protest. Toad set it on the tray glanced at the breakfast and then reached around that for his smokes. If she tried to protest THAT..well...there'd be trouble sure 'nuff.

Ivy went into the first aid kit and pulled out a moisturizing antibiotic salve. If he wasn't going to eat she might as well tend to him and get it over with. Toad took another drag patiently waiting. Ivy squeezed some of the salve out onto her hand and moved in to rub it on his chest still suffering from guilt, when he struck. His hand whipped around her neck and he deftly spun her around pinning her down by that choking grip onto the bed, across his outstretched legs.

He pointed at her nose with one claw still calmly smoking. " Try anythin pet an I'll snap yer neck like a twig." He followed this up by making a sound in his throat that truly sounded like bones breaking. The small strong jerk he gave her causing a bolt of pain to go up the back of her neck reinforcing his threat.

" Now tell me wot 'appened last night. All of it. How tha FUCK do you accidently poison someone?! "

Ivy gasped for breath glaring at him. Damnit this is what she got for putting her guard down. She longed to kick him in the head or break his thumb which she knew she was capable of doing from her years of hand to hand combat and self defense training but she had to think of those she cared about still under threat.

" I drooled in my sleep! Now let me go you asshole! "

Toad took another drag. " How'd that poison me? "

Ivy grunted still trying to get his hand to ease up so she could get more then the measly trickle of air she was getting. " YOU insisted on me laying on your chest remember? "

His grip eased and she greedily sucked in air to her burning lungs. He was still holding her down however suspiciously eyeing her. He motioned to his chest and stomach with the cigarette. " An this shit's from that!? "

Ivy flushed. " No...I didn't know you were allergic to some soaps...I was just....trying to help."

Toad took another drag thoughtfully " An tha bump on my noggin? "

" Blob dropped you. Twice. "

" Everybody in on tha fun. " He grumbled. " An wot else? "

" Nothing. That's it. " Toad observed her face flushing and her eyes jumping around nervously. He made an effort to control his temper. "Wot else?"

Ivy began struggling. She was NOT going to admit to getting off on him while he was out. Toad tightened his hold on her throat again and calmly began applying pressure with his thumb to one of the pressure points under her jaw. Ivy gasped in pain and went still. Toad snarled at her getting tired of her coy game. What was it with women and their fuckin games? Everybody was always playing their God damn games with him and he was sick of it.

" An......wot.....else? "

Her strangled voice was so low he was pretty sure he misheard her. He put the cigarette in his mouth and cupped his ear leaning over her slightly " Wot was that pet?"

Her eyes were moist with humalution but the tears didn't fall. He did however take note of that in case he needed move fast.

" I....I....touched you...I know it was...w...wrong of me..."

Toad frowned. He knew she'd touched him..he was peeling thanks to her touch. Was that why she had looked so skittish and guilty? He'd thought she'd tried to contact someone and was trying to hide an escape plan. He opened his mouth to assure her touching him wasn't as big a sin as she had apparently been afraid it was and she could touch him anytime but her next words made his mouth clamp shut.

" Y..you were already...uh...aroused....and I...I just...wanted to .....touch you..I didn't mean.....to take it as f..far as I did. "

Was she telling him what he thought she was telling him? His black eyes got larger and larger as he looked at her the still lit cigarette dangling from his slack lips. The shock made his hand go limp. Ivy leaped off the bed away from that brutal grip and crouched against the far side of the room where no doubt she felt she was safe from his reach.

Ivy coughed rubbing her throbbing throat was she glared at the green demon on the bed. For granted she was somewhat at fault....all right most of last night had been her fault and he was justified to be angry but he didn't have to be so brutal about it. She felt a little vindication over the fact she had effectively rendered him stupid. Well stupider anyway. The cigarette fell from his lips and landed on his hand and that finally jolted him out of his daze. She watched realizing somewhat smugly he had a burn on his thumb, which he was cussing loudly, that he could now blame her for as well. Maybe he'd take the hint and realize she was obviously bad for his health and send her home.

Toad hastily snuffed the cigarette out before realizing with chagrin it had been practically un-smoked and was still good...until he'd mashed it to nothing. He rubbed his brow eyeing her from the corner of his eye trying to sort out how he felt about being taken advantage of in his sleep.

On one hand he was feeling the wee lil pump attached to his ego working over time..... On the other hand this was worth a round of drinks at the local pump....... Thirdly he was dying to know the details only because he admitted to being a bit perverted. Most important of all he couldn't believe a lovely woman hadn't been able to resist his bits.

Whether he ever understood it or not he was sure he'd bang one out for a long time over her confession. He'd been looking to humiliate her by forcing her to be a companion to the slimy loathsome Toad. Instead he was rapidly loosing his taste for this game he had set up and badly wanted to know if she could learn to care about him on her own. Last night was a good start even if it had left him damaged. Her coughing drew his eyes back to her and he winced. Leave it to him to botch it.

Toad got up and grabbed one of the small towels holding it shut around his waist. " Stay here....please. "

Ivy blinked. His voice had sounded thoughtful and distant and she didn't know if she should be more worried or not. She went to the door and warily watched him. Even with the circumstance she couldn't help but to grin at the commotion.

" Oh my GOD Toad! Go put some clothes ON! You want us all to go BLIND? "

" Toad..buddy you need to eat more you're too skinny. There's plenty of food there I haven't eaten yet. Can you pass me a plate of bacon while your there?"

" Toad I hope you're not going to make this a habit because if so I will simply have to protest! "

Wanda being Wanda ignored him as usual.

There was still plenty of gagging noises, insults, and complaints when he came back around. As he walked towards his room carrying a fresh glass of ice water he spotted Ivy peeking at the door. He dropped her a wink and then released a corner of his towel keeping his front covered but flashing his bare backside to the brotherhood members. There was a fresh uproar as he calmly leaned against the door shutting it.

Ivy blinked at him as he firmly handed her the water. " Bottoms up pet...it'll make ya feel better. "

He motioned to the bed. " Come sit with me a spell. " He didn't wait for her response and got back under the blankets before dragging his cold breakfast onto his lap.

She eyed him somewhat suspiciously the man had just tried to throttle her God's sake. Toad took a bite of some type of meat that he decided must have been bacon before Blob fried it to a crisp. He glanced over at her and had the grace to feel guilty. He patted the bed. " Come on pet I owe ya an apology." He swallowed his bite of food. " Last night was all an accident..I was wrong to rough ya over it." She still hesitated.

" Please? "

She sighed and slowly made her way to his bed. She settled herself at the foot of his bed where they could more or less face each other. She pressed her back briefly against the wall and eyed him. Toad could feel her looking him over. It made him nervous since he was devoid of clothes. At the same time he felt keyed up. ' Wot's needed 'ere ' he thought sneaking a peek at her ' is to get tha shoe on tha right foot. Which means talkin'. Toad decided he needed to go first since he'd actually done her wrong. He took a deep breath.

" So.....bout last night...did ya get off luv? "

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XX please review XX

XX way to go Toad That's a great conversation starter XX

XX everyone still with me? XX


	8. Chapter 8

" Oh my God.." Ivy moaned covering her face with her hands. " Do we have to TALK about it?! "

Toad grinned nibbling on a hard biscuit. " Just lookin for conversation luv. "

Ivy glared at him. " ..and you have to talk about sex? "

" I might look like a freakish animal pet but I'm still a bloke." He shrugged " Sides lookit from my point o view....under normal circumstances no woman who looks like you is gonna touch me with a ten foot pole..let alone use me fer their pleasure while I'm sleepin. " He looked thoughtful head cocked " Kinda novel actually. I'll 'ave to add it to my wank bank once I get details."

Ivy stared at him for a long moment. " ......your..wank bank? "

Toad grinned at her displaying a lot of sharp teeth. " Ask me bout it poppet. "

" No...that's okay..I don't want to know. " Ivy said dryly. Toad shrugged and went back to eating.

" Well? " Ivy looked at him confused. He was looking at her expectantly

" Well what? "

" Didja at least git off luv? " He waited lips curled up slightly, eyes gleaming, and Ivy gave up.

" No, I didn't. " She brought her knees up and rested her chin grumpily on her arm. She wasn't a prude. Could actually chug down beer and tell dirty jokes with the roughest of men but if their was one thing she had never comfortable with it was conversation about herself. It never failed to depress her. She became aware that Toad was staring at his tray face carefully blank to show no emotion.

" No? No....course not....Well...uh...that's not surprising really." Toad grabbed his smokes and lit one up. She couldn't help but to notice the lighter was a bit shaky. Once that was done his eyes focused on one of his webbed, four fingered hands thoughtfully. " Sorry poppet. "

Ivy was hit with the realization she could hurt him with just a few words. Payback for this crap he was pulling with her. She even knew what to say which if delivered as a thoughtless comment would crush him where he sat. Blank expression or no.

She heaved a sigh and mentally called herself some choice names. " You pushed me away before I could really get into it. "

Toad looked at her with such stunned disbelief she decided that was almost as good as hurting him. Almost.

" In fact...not only did you push me away...you pushed me away AND said ' roll over bitch.' " She smirked at him.

Toad groaned. Just his bloody luck. " I can explain Ivy luv. "

Ivy shook her head " Don't bother. It doesn't really matter. "

" Does tae me....bout three years ago I 'ad a bit o' fluff. 'ad five arms she did. " Ivy's head swung around to stare at him in disbelief he nodded. " Nice gel, was staying in tha savage lands, a haven for mutants that Magneto ruled afore the sentinels destroyed it." he took a drag. " Anyhows...she 'ad a thing for bedsport an she was always after me for a bit of bangin, an groping at my tackle, an such to the point I was gettin tired of it. I mean she'd try tae git me goin in my bloody sleep....."

" .....and you would tell her ' Roll over bitch'? " Ivy looked amused. " Charming. "

Toad shrugged. He was what he was and he wasn't going to try to change anymore. " So if I pushed ya away...it wasn't really YOU I was pushin away cause I wouldn't....you know....push you away. " He trailed off feeling awkward.

Ivy shook her head realizing he still didn't get it. " If you were not then you need to. Apparently your subconscious has more sense then you do. You should listen to it...before something tragic happens. " She looked him in the eye and grimly said " Send me off and forget you ever saw me. "

Toad sucked on his cigarette for a moment. " Why? "

She threw her a hands up in disgust. " Why?! Look at you! Do you think this is the first time I've accidents like this? I assure you..I could give you a thousand situations and you know what? Your lucky you're not dead from my 'accident' " Her voice quivered slightly " Some people aren't so lucky and the last thing I need is some green British punk ghost haunting my memories. I've got enough damn ghosts as it is."

Toad thoughtfully looked at her wondering if she had any idea how much hurt was visible in her eyes. " You really 'ate this mutation of yours doncha luv."

Ivy laughed britally " Don't you? "

Toad again looked at his hands. " When I was a school boy I did. Bein a freak among freaks didn't 'ave it's good points and those bloody bullies made my life a livin 'ell."

" ..and now? "

He shrugged taking one last drag " Now, I've kinda excepted my lot in life. Sometimes this mutations got it's moments. An if anyone gives me lip I flatten em."

Ivy sighed shaking her head sadly. " Well if you want to trade mutations I'd be the first in line."

" Good God woman why would you want this mutation?! " Toad glanced with distaste at his hands.

Ivy leaned forward. Stretching her body so her face was closer to him. Her voice was low and steady as she spoke.

" Because one day a woman will come along who will look past all that. When she does you'll be able to enjoy her company however you wish. Enjoy the pleasure that comes with an intimate relationship with another. Maybe have a few tadpoles. " She smiled briefly at his look over that crack but her eyes were still hard. " More then that you'll be able to enjoy the company without having to worry you'll accidently kill her with something as innocent as a bloody scrape or a sneeze....or a kiss."

" Never happen pet. Not in my bloody lifetime any ways...but I understand. I'm sorry luv..didn't realize wot a poor hand you got dealt. I should introduce ya to Rogue whenever she comes back into town. You two kinda 'ave tha same problem. Course she ran off with that Cajun bloke so might be while."

Toad settled the tray on his table and used his tongue to snatch up the salve she had dropped when he'd grabbed her earlier. He handed it to her and cocked his head.

" If I trust you poppet..do ya think you can trust me? "

Ivy stared at him a moment. Then she nodded moving up to tend him. She decided she needed to bring up something that was extremely important and vital since he seemed willing to listen to her for the moment.

" ....we really need to talk about this collar..."

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XX Please review so I don't feel unloved XX

XX movin along XX


	9. Chapter 9

An hour later Toad was perched on his bean bag watching a News report with the rest of the Brotherhood members. Ivy sat next to him still collared but chainless. He'd ripped it off knowing it was really wasn't the leash that kept her here. It was his threats.

The reporter was talking about some kid who had decided to take a gun to school and blow away some of his classmates. The stepfather and grieving mother kept going on and on about how'd he'd been hanging around mutants and must have caught their mutation which turned him ' bad '. Toad sneered at the TV..the mother had a black eye and bruises on her thin arms and the stepfather was slurring probably drunk but he had no doubt the stupid small minded people would listen to this shit and lap it up.

Mastermind shook his head " Woe to the sheep who are easily led to slaughter. "

Toad nodded lighting up " ...an we'll be doin tha slaughterin when tha war breaks out mate. " He took a drag then sneered. " I can hardly wait. 'ow bout you big guy?! "

Blob nodded happily pausing in the act of eating. " I LOVE slaughtering!..."

Wanda sighed and glanced around with some irritation before going back to a small book she was reading. Ivy frowned and leaned closer to Toad and asked softly.

" What war? "

Toad looked surprised. " Cor luv where 'ave you been? The whole world's headin towards a war between mutants and humans. That right there..." He pointed to the TV " is one of thousands of pieces leadin to it. An when it finally comes.." He grinned slapping his fist making his muscles bulge. The news reporter was now on traffic " We'll be ready. "

The other three brotherhood members nodded in agreement. Ivy looked at them appalled. Oh she knew after reading the files that all of them were accused of crimes and terrorists activity but she also knew the worlds opinion was biased when it came to mutants. However she had a very very bad feeling that in this case they were accurate. Mastermind, Toad, and even the sullen Wanda where discussing plans. Blob would occasionally pitch in with " Yeah." " You bet! " or just a general grunt while he ate and she hadn't seen Quicksilver at all yet.

Mastermind spoke up " Hopefully Pietro will bring back some news from Magneto. "

Ivy closed her eyes. Magneto, one mutant on the top of the FBI's most wanted list. She had considered going after him herself but she'd been givin a polite message that on that prize no mutants were trusted. Still the master terrorist? She was really keeping strange bed fellows now.

The door opened and closed with a rush and suddenly Quicksilver was there. He looked triumphant as he looked at the other brotherhood members. When he eyes fell on her though his smile turned to a sneer and he made a big show of turning his nose up at her .

" I have news for the brotherhood members...and ONLY the brotherhood members.. "

Ivy caught herself before she could rolled her eyes. To her surprise Toad caught her eye and winked at her before he spoke.

" Just tell us the bloody news mate. We don't wanna 'ear blaggin. We've been bored to tears a waitin on you."

There was a murmur of agreement and Pietro sighed irritated he couldn't seem to inspire respect the way his father did. He vowed though that he would starting with that infuriating creature that turned him down instead of being grateful for the chance to get out from under Toad.

" There's to be political rally for governor Hawkins tomorrow. " Pietro began to pace quickly hands behind his back " As you may or may not know Hawkins is pushing for a law stating that any fetus tested and found to carry the x-gene can be aborted at any trimester under a paid government sponsored program. "

" Son of bitch! " Snarled Blob laying off his eating for moment.

Wanda muttered " I'll abort him....right into a volcano!" She flipped to the next page. Anyone who thought her inattentive would have been in for a nasty surprise. She noticed everything.

" Is he still serious about that ridiculous law? " Mastermind looked disgusted as he leaned back and pondered that. " We'd truly lose if he gets voted to the senate and passes that.....become extinct..or at least seriously weakened within a decade."

" Not if we take em out first mate. " Toad took a drag of his cigarette eyes gleaming with anger.

" How do you know he's still interested in passing this law? There's been nothing on the news about that for years... " Ivy asked sitting up. She jerked slightly when Quicksilver's face suddenly appeared in front of her, his eyes mocking, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

" Oh I'm sorry...I didn't know you joined our cause..."

" I didn't..." Ivy said stiffly. Her temper started to flare and she had a bad feeling that today would be a day of reckoning between them.

" Then that means you're against us, which means you're a prisoner, and actually worse you CHOSE to be a pet to Toad so all you need to do is sit, lie down, play dead, and kiss our ass when we request it!"

" Knock it off mate! "

Pietro turned on Toad raising a brow. " Fine..I'll knock it off...as long as you make her heel. Here this might help. " He sped to the table and back tossing a rolled up magazine at Toad who merely let it hit him and fall to the floor.

Toad shot her a warning glance which she ignored. She had been on the right side of the law for twelve years. First as a young cop, an early graduate of her class, then as a body guard/security officer, she had taken up private investigating and a pay cut to remove herself from the death that seemed to plague her when she was around people and finally a bounty hunter of mutants that had thus far been the most bloodless of her careers. Ivy knew that Toad expected her to ' heel ' just over the threats against those she loved. However she was now faced with the deaths of hundreds according to this plan Pietro was laying out.

Pietro was puffed up laying out what they were going to do, the effect they wanted to achieve, and assigning positions to everyone. Once he was done the other members began putting their input in.

" It's bloody brilliant! They won't know what hit em..." Toad said. Ivy slowly stood up next to him her temper boiling.

" If the cameras are rolling we can show our fellow mutants that they can be safe..perhaps more will join....." Master mind mused.

His voice trailed off as slow flat clapping filled the room. They all looked over and saw Ivy standing tall her face grim as she continued to clap her eyes on Pietro. He scowled at her placing his hands on his hips. " Uh Toad ..that's it I think your little doggy.."

" That WAS a brilliant plan. Shame you didn't come up with it. " Ivy would have bet her meager salary that Pietro had never gone so red with anger before. Toad hissed something at her and tried to grab her arm. She pulled away so hard and viciously he cringed for a moment sure that his nails had drawn blood.

Ivy stepped forward and faced off with the speed demon. " So..you don't check and verify details, you don't plan, tell me exactly why you lead again? "

" That's none of your goddamn business ." Quicksilver snarled.

" Oh that's right." Ivy said calmly pretending to think " You're fighting for the greater good of your fellow mutants! ...Yet when I talk to my saviors I'm told they just follow one person without even making sure that one person is still fighting for their cause. "

wanda spoke up coldly " You won't turn us against Magneto."

Blob chimed in " Yeah! "

" Right mate. "

Mastermind looked coldly thoughtful as he looked at her. "...and even if we DECIDED to verify information there's no time for that. "

Ivy nodded and then looked everyone of them in the eye. " ..and that doesn't make any of you suspicious....at all? Hmmm how many missions have you had like that I wonder?"

All of them avoided her eyes. Even Toad's eyes skittered to his lit cigarette and stared thoughtfully. All but Quicksilver who seemed to be beyond fury. His eyes met her own and although he kept his tone calm his voice shook.

" Don't listen to this thing. She's a worthless traitor. Keep in mind she's Toad's pet bitch! "

Toad stood up and glared. " That is ENOUGH of yer shit mate. Bloody 'ell stow it for today.

An you...tha's enough! Yer diggin graves 'ere..couple of em! "

Ivy stared at him for a moment. Then she laughed bitterly. " You're asking me to pick a few lives over hundreds? Sorry. The bitch wasn't done yet. "

She whirled on Pietro who had started to calm down thinking she was cowed. " Now as I was about to say..let's look at that insult shall we? "

They were all looking at her like she was a lunatic. Even Toad was gaping at her in danger of loosing his cigarette. She pressed on glaring at Pietro. She couldn't stop their plans tomorrow but she could make damn sure they thought about her and remembered what she said. It might make a difference in the future. If she didn't buckle now it would be harder for Quicksilver to make the others dismiss her.

" You blindly follow, mindlessly taking in whatever plan you're given. That makes you a sheep. I'd rather be a bitch then a sheep. " She sneered at him going for blood " Sheep don't HAVE what it takes to lead! "

Quicksilver was on her before she could re-inhale the air she had used to speak. He had her against the wall just as she finished inhaling sharply. Sudden pain began to lash across her face from one side to the other. She realized he was slapping her. He moved so fast his hand was a blur but he made sure not to damage her to the point he'd draw blood. Ivy finally lost her temper and things weirdly took on the quality of slow motion.

There was commotion as both Toad and Wanda started protesting. Toad seemed to be slowly moving in to latch onto to Pietro and drag him off.

By then it was to late. It hurt and Ivy reacted by defending herself as she was trained to do.

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XX please review XX

XX woot fight scene coming up ^_^ time

to give some skills to my law respecting

oc XX

XX any suggestions? XX


	10. Chapter 10

Ivy stuck her tongue out letting Quicksilver's hand brush against it a dozen times while he was slapping her within a blink of her eyes. He backed off from this assault looking smug Toad was literally foaming at the mouth screaming obscenities at him. Quicksilver easily dodged Toad's attempts to hit him. Ivy waited patiently, her face burning painfully, and when Blob picked up Toad at Wanda's request she saw a smug Pietro suddenly stagger slightly. That was when she struck.

She took two steps and delivered a side kick between Blob and Wanda catching Pietro in the solar region and knocking him back into the the table. As she stalked forward Wanda came towards her, preparing to let loose a hex bolt on this upstart when Ivy threw out a hand angrily yelled " DON'T! I'm gonna beat some respect into him and I swear if any of you interfere so help me GOD I'll tear my flesh open with my teeth and splatter the lot of you! "

Mastermind who had stood up to assist in stopping this. " That's all you're going to do to him? "

Ivy didn't give him an answer throwing a punch that caught the weakened Pietro in the face. Mastermind shrugged and sat down again to go back to his chess game. " Fine. "

Pietro stood up fury on his face at this outrage from someone that Toad had ASSURED him would be a meek little plaything. " You are SO going to PAY for that you BITCH! "

Wanda turned to glare at Mastermind ignoring the sound of fists making contact with flesh for a moment. Mastermind merely looked at her and shrugged. " Why not? The three of them" he motioned to the others " brawl all the time. What's one more person taking the uneducated way of communication? "

" For fuck's sake mate! Don't hit 'er in tha face you'll make er bleed! "

Toad gave up struggling and instead snatched his smokes off the table with his tongue so he could light one up while he watched felt a bit ridiculous dangling like a side of beef from under Blob's arm. She was well trained which relieved him somewhat. Every kick delivered with precision, every punch thrown with bone breaking impact, and she looked sexy as hell fighting in that skimpy little outfit too.

Pietro already knew not to hit her in the face and while she was well trained in the use of defense and some type of martial arts he wasn't a total wash up either and drove his fist hard into her belly angling it upwards. He had the advantage of having shoes on and being stronger then her. So while her kicks and blows hurt like hell His own delivered more damage. Until she kneed him hard in the groan bringing him to his knees. Toad cringed pulled his legs closer to his body and Blob groaned. Mastermind and Wanda were watching with interest now.

Ivy sucked in a pained breath and delivered an uppercut that cracked into Pietro's jaw. He slumped and hit the floor.

" That's ENOUGH! "

Ivy slowly sank to her knees clutching herself. She had FELT one of her ribs crack. She was afraid he might have ruptured something, so badly did she hurt. She spared Wanda only the merest glance at her demand. Pietro rolled and also dragged himself up somewhat still feeling weakened from her saliva. He glared at her with something akin to hatred.

" I'll make you sorry.." his voice was hoarse.

" What's the matter Pietro? You don't like your own methods used against you? "

" I'll make you pay for this outrage I swear it! " His voice had gotten stronger.

Ivy shook her head feeling defeated. " I know you will. You'll make me suffer the way you'll make them suffer tomorrow. Doesn't that STILL make you a hypocrite like Magneto? "

" FUCK you! " Pietro gained his feet and shuffled towards the door giving Wanda a chilly look when she made a move to help him. Ivy laid back on the floor trying to shore her strength up to get up. Toad stepped forward reaching down to help her up.

" DON'T TOUCH ME!!" her scream sent him hastily backing off and she relaxed when she saw he was a safer distance away. She sighed disgusted with her overreaction and said " I'm starting to sweat now."

Toad frowned confused for a moment. Sweating? Why would she...he mentally slapped himself...body fluids. Hell it was more complicated then just blood and spit he'd somehow forgotten about that. He watched her stand up shakily and glared at her.

" Wot the fuck were you thinking?"

Wanda crossed her arms and glared at her also while Mastermind studied her thoughtfully. " That was pointless and dangerous to egg my brother on in that manner..."

" I didn't do that to egg him on or impress any of you. " Ivy gasped as she got herself to her feet " I did that because guys like him never stop. Not until it's to late. He'll be a little more wary of me now...and that could mean the difference between his life and death. "

What she didn't say was that the scene would also impress itself in Pietro's mind now with his anger and while he replayed it over and over again he'd also repeat what she had called him. She didn't delude herself into thinking that would change him into a good guy on the right side of the law but she hoped it would be one more small step in the right direction.

" I need to shower please...if you give me a wet cloth with some some soap I'll wipe the floor down right here. " Ivy gave them all a polite look feeling like any moment her abused stomach was going to disgorge itself.

Toad shook his head. " I'll do it. "

Ivy made her way to the bathroom " Wear rubber gloves and throw everything away when your done Toad and make sure noone walks over it until your done..." under her breath " better safe then sorry. "

Toad arched his brows at this then shrugged and moved to get what he needed. Mastermind stroked his chin thoughtfully studying the floor. Wanda scoffed and went to her room. She thought the strange guest they were harboring was full of bullshit herself. She wasn't willing to test it though.

Ivy in the mean time washed letting her fingers trail over her bruised ribs. She cleared her throat loudly then spat into her hand checking for blood. All seemed well enough. As an after thought she washed her clothes in the sinks and wrapped up in a towel. Ivy could admit to herself she was overly paranoid. She was more then a little surprised to see Wanda waiting for her when she opened the door.

The scarlet witch looked at the pitiful excuse of clothes still damp from the washing that she held and simply said " Come with me. "

Ivy followed her into the room she shared with her brother. Their were two twin beds on either side of the wall and a master bathroom which at first glance appeared much cleaner and neat looking then the guest bathroom. Wanda dug into her closet and came out with a pair of black jeans and short sleeved T shirt. She was a little taller then the toxic bounty hunter but she figured the legs could be rolled up.

" Thank you.." Ivy gratefully took the clothes and and dropped her towel to get into them. Wanda studied her thoughtfully then picked up the wet genie outfit she'd been wearing. " I'll get rid of these later...the joke's gone far enough. "

Ivy nodded sucking her stomach in. She wasn't heavy by any stretch..but her waist was a bit wider then the witch's. She still managed to get the jeans buttoned and zipped and she was able to sit and crouch in them. Wanda was still studying her curious. While Ivy slipped into the shirt she spoke keeping her voice casual.

" What would have happened to Toad if he touched you? Would he have died? "

Ivy shook her head " Probably not. He would have been subjected to some nasty hallucinations though rather like a hellish LSD trip. Too much.....exposure....can lead to brain damage and eventually death. " She shrugged. " Luckily I don't sweat that much."

Wanda just stared at her a moment. " ...and the floor? "

" Better safe then sorry..." Ivy shrugged then met her eyes " You're still thinking of regular sweat. That's the mistake. It's a TOXIN..a poison...and if you spill a toxin you don't leave it to dry because it's still there. It might not do anything other then give someone nightmares or make them ill but why take a chance? "

Wanda drew her legs up. " What an interesting mutation you have. Do you know what all of your...poisons...do? "

She settled down in a chair and began to dry her hair a bit better. " No..no one's ever tested all of them. I do know the effects of the ones most likely to come in contact with someone. One of my instructors was a bit of an amateur chemist." Ivy smiled fondly " He was one of those people who were fascinated by the X-factor and the effects it had. He didn't fear evolution...he embraced it with all the excitement of a little boy."

She trailed off for a moment remembering Mitch and his partner. Wanda's voice startled her. " Go on...what did they find? "

" Oh...well..let's see...my saliva causes reduction in consciousness...of course too much can constrict breathing and cause death....my tears cause seizures which can lead to brain damage.." Wanda raised her brows over that " my sweat causes hallucinations...a guy trying to get his jollies with me can look forward to suffering massive strokes which may or may not kill them.." her voice had gone flat " my blood...well...let's just say my blood is the devils own brew. It will kill you. Period. They all effect the brain and nervous in one way or another. "

" Bloody 'ell Ivy..you're just a walkin pharmacy from hell ain't ya? "

Ivy gave Toad a sour look where he was leaning against the door. " As I said....I'm known as poison Ivy. There's a reason for that. "

Toad chuckled. " Yea ..guess so. "

Wanda leaned back in the bed " Ivy....you should consider joining us. "

She snorted and stood up " No. I respect what you think your trying to do...God knows we need equal rights to live peacefully...but I don't support the lives you're willing to extinguish to accomplish your goals."

Toad lit up a smoke causing Wanda to glare at him " We don't intentionally try to kill anyone luv. Gettin tha highest body count isn't really our goal. Unless we're retaliating for the deaths of our fellow mutants. "

Wanda nodded " Exactly. "

Ivy Shrugged. " Sorry. I took an oath as a police officer and even though I'm not a cop anymore I still uphold it. "

Toad blew the smoke in her direction " Well...does this oath prohibit drinkin? "

At the confused looks he got he took another drag and studied his cigarette not meeting her eyes. " I'm goin tae m'waterin hole. Wanted to know if I could buy ya a drink? "

Wanda rolled her eyes and stood up gracefully existing to give them privacy. Ivy stared at Toad a moment. The invite actually sounded heavenly. After being stuck here for two days she was starting to feel a bit stir crazy. On the other hand she was afraid she'd give him the wrong impression. Toad might think she wanted to spend time getting to know him...which she didn't...at all....so she should refuse. Ivy opened her mouth to politely decline.

" I'd love that. "

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XX please review XX

XX wanted to take the time to spell out what

some of her toxins do which in a nutshell

mess with the central nervous system

and brain XX

XX How's the story so far?

Is Ivy getting Mary Sue-ish? XX


	11. Chapter 11

Ivy was still asking herself why she had agreed. Wanda had loaned her some sandals and Toad, after wrapping up in a gray cowl with a hood, had proceeded to lead her down deserted side streets and back alleys until they came to his ' watering hole '. It was a small building without much traffic and a hanging sign over the door proclaimed " Ye olde Pub ". Despite the old world name some kind of techno music greeted her ears as she stepped inside.

Toad led her to the bar whose most prominent feature was a union jack flag hanging behind it. A Large man with a shock of red hair and a beard leaned towards them.

" Toad lad! 'aven't seen you all blessed week! " They slapped hands while Ivy watched feeling like an outsider.

" 'ave my usual mate..an get the lady 'ere anything she'd like on my tab. "

The large man looked at her and grinned " So tha's it eh? Well no wonder ya been absent...wot can I getcha sweetheart? "

" Green apple smirnoff, please. " Ivy couldn't help but to return the bartenders infectionous grin.

The bartender nodded " Right luv. "

He opened his cold box and pulled out two bottles. Smirnoff for her and Arkell's Bee's Organic Ale for Toad. Ivy couldn't help but to glance at the bottle in his hand while he guided her to a corner of the pub. There was a cushioned bench with dark wood sides wrapping half around a table. They slid in on opposite sides and faced each other. Toad popped the top of his then offered it to her.

" Try a drink pet. " She did so careful to keep her lips dry and found it pleasant. In the dim light it was harder to make his face out under the hood he wore. He took a drink then proceeded to light up.

" You know..you really oughta cut down. " Ivy murmured. " Those things will kill you. "

Toad merely let out a bark of laughter and blew smoke her way. As an after thought he added a perfect smoke ring which made her raise her brows as she sipped her own drink. To Ivy's surprise they fell into conversation as easily as old friends and she found herself listening with fascination as he told her about dealing with his mutation.

" So you were born looking like that? " Toad took a drink nodding at her question. " That must have been hard."

He chuckled " Hard doesn't even come close Ivy luv...I looked like this and went to school affiliated with the orphanage I was dumped at..it was hell okay? absolute hell...BUT when I hit puberty my little talents manifested themselves and I started takin care of those bullies good an proper afore I ran away."

" And that's when you teamed up with Magneto? " Ivy kept her voice low. She was fairly sure this wasn't a part of his life he wanted bandied about.

" Well not right away..I lived off the streets of London for a spell but then 'e found me an offered me somethin I couldn't refuse."

Ivy took a drink noting their bottles were almost empty. " What was that? Can I get another? "

Toad went up to the bartender and retrieved two more drinks for them before continuing on with his tale. " Mags offered me a purpose..other an bein green an ugly and we shared the same belief...norms should serve mutants. We're the superior species. "

She shook her head popping the lid off. " Sounds like a pipe dream to me. "

He shrugged. " Everyone to their own opinions an all. We worked together for years an I recruited others to the cause. Then we had a clash with the sentinels and the X-men. Magneto was killed by Charles Xavior or so we thought and Pietro took over. "

" and you worked under him? " Ivy couldn't keep the surprise out of her voice. From the way they had chafed she couldn't imagine Toad respecting Quicksilver enough to follow him.

" 'ell no...Oh I stayed for a bit but I didn't like ow Wanda an Pietro were runnin the brotherhood. Lot of people were dyin unnecessary like..includin mutants. So I left. When I 'eard that Magneto was back I came back ready to serve. "

Ivy sipped her drink silently for a moment. " You heard he was back? So you haven't actually seen him? "

Toad shook his head " Nope. Been asking for a meetin...been givin Pietro messages....nothing. "

He sat back with a sigh and the faint lines that bracketed his mouth deepened. " Guess e's never forgive me for abandoning the cause. Plus there's been one or two incidents where I 'elped the X-men. "

Ivy looked at him surprised. She knew who the X-men were...A young red head psychic had once tried to recruit her to join them. " You helped them? Why? "

Toad took a drink and thought about that for a moment. " Cause...their still brothers, fellow mutants. Their fighting for a lost cause...but their tryin to do the same thing I was...unite mutants and make a stand against the bigotry aimed at us so we're not alone. "

He looked at her his black eyes glittering his face dispondant " Cept seems like no matter wot I do I wind up fighten a loosin battle and I'm STILL alone. Maybe more so now then I was. Fuck it.."

He took a long pull from his bottle and slapped it down on the table glaring at it. Ivy gazed at him for a moment. Her mind could almost see what he would have looked like if the x-gene hadn't disfigured him. A tall lean man with intense eyes and a perminate smirk on his sharp face.

Now however he looked defeated, melancholy, and she found herself wanting to coax a smile from him as strange as that was. To soften those harsh lines on his brow and bring a spark to his eyes. She cleared her throat.

" Well ..changing the subject....." Toad shifted and faced her waiting. Ivy leaned forward propping her head on her hands and giving him a coy look through her lashes. " I've been dying to know ever since I read your file..and ..apprehended you.."

"Yea? " Toad arched his brows at her.

" How long is...you know... it? "

" WOT?! "

" Oh come on....don't be shy.." Ivy leaned in a little closer to him forcing him scoot back " Really...how long is? Have you ever let anyone...you know measure it? "

" Fuck no I never let anyone measure it...." Toad looked greener then normal at the very thought.

Ivy dropped her voice down to a throaty purr , eyes sparkling " Can you give me an estimate? "

" Bloody 'ell why do want tae know? You ain't puttin it in anywhere......" Toad glanced around as if seeking a way out and Ivy gave him a devilish grin.

"Feminine curiosity."

Toad sat back and nervously adjusted his hood " Well tain't noone's business."

Ivy sat back also and heaved a huge sigh. " Well I was just curious...you didn't strike me as being shy after all the time we spent together..."

Toad shifted and took a drink. He cleared his throat and adjusted his hood again. Finally he peeked at her " You really wanna know pet? "

Ivy grinned " Well according to your file...."

Toad cut her off with a smirk " It's 13 feet exactly."

Ivy paused then sat back with a laugh. Toad grinned at her " I'm too old to fall for that one luv..and yea I've had my TONGUE measured...against my will."

He eyed her still smirking and finished his drink. Ivy laughed again and shook her head

" I tried. " She took another swig of her drink as well.

" My turn poppet.." Toad grinned at her his eyes dropping to her chest, before he could ask whatever outrageous question he had they were both distracted by a commotion near the front of the pub.

A group of men had dragged up a smaller man and started shoving him back and forth amongst them. Heckling him in voices that were growing louder and uglier.

" Ere now! Knock tha shit off in me pub ! " The red haired barkeep was coming around the bar angrily.

One of the men turned on him a slightly fanatic look of rage on his face " Son of a bitch is a mutant! Cheated me out of fifty fucking dollars! "

" You cater to mutants here Red? " Another man had casually placed a hand on a length of chain hanging looped around his waist " Better watch that shit if you do....I wouldn't want to cater to mutants ...might get your pub torched...maybe with you and your wife inside...and wouldn't that be a damn shame? "

The barkeep glared at him " Keep yer poison tae yerself mate and take it outside me pub! "

Ivy realized it was going to get ugly and probably produce a lynch mob to boot. She sighed and met Toad's eyes. An understanding passed between them and as one they drained their drinks and then stood up.

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XX Yea!!! Another chapter!!! XX

Had a bit of writers block there but I think I'm good now

XX Please review so I know the stories worth the effort XX


	12. Chapter 12

Ivy wished she had her gun. Her badge would have been nice to. Anything other then this skimpy outfit. The mutant being shoved around looked like a wino. His life had been etched into his face as surely as if God had taken a sharpened quill to it. Whatever his mutation was it was not physical. He may in fact, not even have been a mutant at all, but a very unlucky man. Ivy glanced at Toad. He looked grim but it was clear he was considering walking out and leaving the man to his fate.

Their were about 4 or five men involved. All rough looking and tattooed. Aside from the swastikas and other " white non-mutant power symbol " tats all of the men were as bald as cue balls. Ivy suddenly wondered if they got together to shave each other swapping stories over beer. ' Yeah he was big and blacker then night but when I told em to move you better believe that nigger bastard moved. Don't move Tony I might miss a hair man then you'd look sissy. '

Ivy decided stress was rotting her brain and they needed to leave quick enough to call the police and report a hate crime in progress when Toad suddenly spoke up next to her.

" Hey arsemongers! 'ows about pickin on a chap your own size eh? "

All the men turned to gape at him. One skinny one with bulging eyes and a very large disk in his ear stepped forward and demanded with disbelief that Toad repeat himself. Toad suddenly leaped on the table in front of them and threw his hood back. He repeated his question very slowly carefully pronouncing each word. ' Cryin' shame they don't teach good English in this country, blow it all! '

" What the fuck is that! "

" Holy shit! "

" The hell...?!! "

Toad smiled grimly displaying his rather evil looking chompers as the men..including the mutant who'd been getting the roughing cringed back away from him. Ivy prayed that they would turn yellow and slink out the door without any more violence being done at all. She knew she was doomed to disappointment when she saw the men getting their bearings and no doubt reminding themselves they were big and white and undereducated with an overdeveloped sense of prejudice against mutants.

The skinny one elbowed one of his bigger companions sniggering loudly.

" Hey look at that! It's Kermit! Dude I told you to lay off that acid...look what it's done to you! "

Toad's smile dropped into a sneer as laughter and some back slapping occurred  
among the gang. The forgotten victim was trying to slip out between the men's legs towards the safety of the door.

One gruff looking man with mean beady eyes and a long goatee stepped forward, grabbed his crotch, and made an obscene gesture at Toad.

" Hey Kermit are you hungry man? Got some yummy little crabs for you...! "

More laughter and back slapping occurred while Toad appeared to ponder the offer. Ivy's lip curled with disgust and she felt her face heat up with anger on Toad's behalf. I hope somebody shoves a lesson in humanity down your throat buddy she thought in disgust. THIS was being a non-mutant? No thanks. She'd rather eat glass.

" Gee thanks mate. Pretty fuckin' decent of ya since I am pretty fuckin' hungry. "

Toad's tongue suddenly shot out with bruising force catching the man right between his jeaned legs. Dead silence ensued as everyone gaped at the man doubled over his mouth open in a silent scream of pain. All he was able to produce before he fell to the floor in agony was a high pitched sqeak that would have fooled a full fledged sewer rat.

The skinny one whipped out a gun while another pulled loose his long chain.

" Kill that cock sucking mutant freak! "

Toad kicked out catching the arm of the gun holder who screamed as some bones fractured. Suddenly a chain was whipped around his head and snapped shut with brutal force cutting off the air supply in his neck. " Fuck! " he croaked grabbing at it. He blindly threw his tongue behind him managing by feel to get it wrapped around the guys own neck. He tightened with even less mercy then a constrictor strangling it's next meal. It worked. The chain was released while the man grabbed at his slimy coated tongue trying to get a sip of oxygen to his starving lungs.

" Toad look out! " Ivy screamed. Toad opened his eyes to see a meaty fist heading for his face. Apparently the STD afflicted norm wasn't one to forgive and forget ball shots. Toad did the only thing he could think of to do. He ducked even though it meant the chain tightened painfully around his throat again. The sound of flesh hitting flesh and the chagrined cursing made him feel a bit better. He released the chain welder to deal with whatever damage his own partner had done to him so he could handle Mr. Crabs himself.

The large man with the goatee however was already swinging again and he caught Toad square in the gut. This man knew how to inflict maximum pain too. He angled his fist up as if trying to reach Toad's spine to rip it out. Toad's feet cleared the floor and he went down hard with a harsh groan. This was followed by a kick that actually spun Toad around to his back. Dazed for a moment Toad looked up and realized the mother fucker was getting ready to stomp his head in. Something crashed into the back of the man's head and back and he staggered stumbling over Toad. They gave a quick look at Ivy who was dropping the chair she'd used to crack the man over the head. He was dazed enough she hoped Toad could handle him. The one that worried her was the skinny guy who was cursing and hunting for his gun.

While Toad tackled the goatee wearing thug's legs she went after the gun that had fallen under the table. She made it just as the skinny dip did and found herself in a tug of war over the loaded gun the barrel swinging left and right. Her finger found leverage on the trigger and she forced him to began firing it trying to empty the damn thing. The skinny one screamed " Stan get this bitch off me! "

Oh shit..she'd forgotten the other guy. A pumped up pimply faced teenager who had been waiting to get into the fight grabbed her leg and actually lifted her off the floor trying to drag her away. Ivy grimly held on one more shot going over head.

Toad grabbed an empty pitcher and cracked it over crabby's head. Then he stared appalled  
at the cheap plastic handle that was left in his hand and the evil grin on his opponents face. He shot a disgusted look at red who was trying to load his own gun behind the bar.

" Wot? The fukin' economy sucks and plastics cheaper mate.." the bartender jammed another bullet into the small shot gun fumbling with it.

The fist that connected to Toads nose left him seeing stars and threw him back against a table. He saw the norm charging at him through watery eyes and brought his legs up. The powerful kick sent goatee flying into Stan and causing him to stumble back. Unfortunately it gave Stan the leverage he needed to rip Ivy away from the gun toting string bean.

The one sporting the goatee had actually been thrown almost the length of the room and fetched up against the bar hard. Just in case that hadn't sent the guy out of commission the bartender cracked him on the back of the head with the butt of his gun.

" That is ENOUGH bullshit! " the gun toter aimed at Toad and began firing. Even as Toad cleared the area in one leap grabbing the swinging wheel that acted as a light holder Ivy couldn't help but scream his name.

" HEY KERMIT! " Stan yelled whipping out a switchblade and placing it against Ivy's throat. " I've got Mrs. Pig....."

His voice trailed off in a sqeal as Ivy's heel connected with his privates. She followed this with an elbow to his solarplex ducking under his knife and using his movements to her advantage so she could grab his ears and end it by smashing his face into her knee hard. He hit the floor with a bubbly moan.

The sound of the gunshot made her whirl around and Toad's scream of "Motherfucker! " Made her her blood boil. He hit the table clutching his side thin trails of blood threading through his fingers where he'd been winged.

The skinny punk grinned and took aim. Ivy doubted he had any bullets left but she wasn't  
going to take a chance she was on him within a blink of an eye. One hand gripping his wrist like a vice to control the gun her other hand on his forehead forcing his head back so she could force her tongue down his throat. It took less then 2 seconds before he was sucking eagerly at the drug his body just starting to go limp from it's effects.

Ivy was suddenly grabbed and jerked away from him to meet Toad's furious black eyes. " That's good 'nuff poppet! "

Ivy glanced at the young man who was moaning and stirring weakly still clutching his weapon. She opened her mouth to demand what Toad's problem was now and argue that she had to make sure the kid was out for good when a voice drew their eyes to the door.

" What the fuck did you freaks do to our brothers??!! "

Three more bald men gaped in the bar fury and righteous indignation  
filling their eyes. Toad grabbed her hand and then spat. One of the men cried out blinded by the sticky green goo. While the other two stumbled back in disgust Toad barreled past them dragging Ivy behind him and knocking one on his ass in the process.

The Parking lot held a black four wheel drive truck and two motorcycles that hadn't been there before. Toad dragged her to the closest cycle checked for keys then said.

"Get on. "

" We're stealing their ride?! " Ivy glanced quickly at the bar inside she could hear sounds of the others getting themselves together and Red screaming at them to get out and stay out or he'd shoot everyone of em.

" Toad I really don't think that's such a good idea......"

Toad grabbed her shirt and almost lifted her off the ground. His eyes were wild and deadly. " GET.....ON..! "

Ivy quickly hopped on behind him and wrapped her arms around him without further protest. Toad viciously turned the key and fired it up.

" Toad? You know how to ride one of these things right? " Ivy asked nervously. High speed chases had never been her favorite past time and this was what one would more or less call a "hog".

" Not as well as I could ride you love so you better hang on! "

" Wha..." The wheels spun and the bike shot backwards the rear wheel smashing into the truck so hard the front wheel actually cleared the ground before crashing back to the pavement.

Toad cursed under his breath muttering something before hastily passing something back to her that had been on the handle bar.

" Ye might want tae wear tha' "

Ivy looked at the helmet for a split second and realized he wasn't going to give her a chance to put it on. Some of the gang brothers were already stumbling out of the bar their voices murderous when they saw the two mutants.

The wheels sqealed and Ivy did the only thing she could with the helmet she flung it at the men before latching onto to Toad for dear life. She managed to hit one on the shoulder causing fresh cursing as the men darted and stumbled to the truck and the remaining bike.

' Oh my God, I'm gonna die.' Ivy thought burying her face in Toad's hair pressing her cheek hard into his shoulder blades.

Toad took a moment to happily reassure her as they sped off leaving scorched tire marks and burned rubber behind.

" Just 'ang on poppet...this is gonna be one 'ell of a cracker ! "

*

*

* Bet you thought I'd died. Yes the story will continue and I hope you will find my writing improved. critic please I want to get better and I've missed all my regulars. I hope everyone is doing wonderfully. *


	13. Chapter 13

With a scream of tires Toad hung a left on Monty Ave. He dipped too low and kept the bike from skidding by letting his knee drag along the pavement sparks flying from the metal pads protecting his sensitive skin. ' Great ' thought Ivy nearly falling off the bike ' I know what those are for now '. She hugged Toad tighter torn between praying and crying. She seemed destined to end all her good moments with these wonderful spurts of panic that sent her heart to her throat and made her think, not for the first time, that maybe she should have herself committed to a mutant facility in a cell built to protect the world by isolating her. A television might make it just like home.

Toad didn't really have a plan yet and was trying to put distance between them and the cue ball band hoping to come up with something inspired. One thing was for sure he was NOT going to let those bastards get their hands on Ivy. He could have cheerfully killed everyone of them in the bar for ruining that peaceful moment. The only thing that had held Toad back was the fact Ivy was a cop. Cold blooded murder in front of her would have formed a chasm he would have never been able to bridge. He knew that in his heart before he'd ever thrown a single hit.

Damn it all why did God hate him? He'd felt witty, a good mood clouding his head and with a cold beer and a foxy fluff like Ivy conversing with him and making him laugh who wouldn't? There was a roar and a high pitched whine as the truck swung onto to the street behind them. Toad's ears also told him the other bike was closing in as well.

Toad turned left on another little backend street dodging two cars before making a hasty right onto the main road cutting off traffic as a result. Cars served and honked and tires squealed behind them and Toad prayed that would slow the other motorcyclist down.

" HOLY SHIT YOU BALMY GIT! BLINKER! BLINKER!"

Ivy peeked briefly over his shoulder realizing a cream BMW had been drifting into their lane. Toad kicked out desperately making a huge dent in the side of the car. It hastily jumped back into it's own lane with a blare of it's horn. The bike shot towards the other side of the road and Toad shifted his weight and kicked out towards that side trying to stabilize the bike before it could crash denting a parked car in the process. Toad barely regained control of the motorcycle and began working up the speed they had lost. As they careened past the BMW Toad barely glimpsed the driver, the most shriveled little old lady he'd ever seen, shooting him the bird.

There was a blare of horns and squealing tires as the black truck appeared like magic actually knocking the BMW off the road. The vigilantes where hanging out the window and one was standing in the back of the truck hanging onto the row bar screaming filth at everyone he could. The other cyclist was being more cautious then Toad but keeping pace with it's brother. Ivy shot a scared wide eyed look behind her.

" Toad! Shotgun! "

" Hell no you silly twit! I ain't changin' places. Are you barkin' mad??! "

Ivy wanted to throttle him. Of it's own accord one of her hands pried it's fingers out of his flesh long enough to settle near his throat before she checked herself.

" No you damn fool! SHOT-GUN! "

In front of Toad's eyes one of the sideview mirrors exploded with a pop and sprinkle of cheerfully bright glass. A smatter of holes and then broken glass appeared in the back window of a slow moving van in front of them. Toad swerved around it as it braked to a sudden stop feeling panic set in.

" OH SHIT! They've got a bloody SHOTGUN! "

" Brilliant deduction Sherlock would you like your violin now?! " Ivy snapped.

She wasn't given the luxury to fume because the situation suddenly hit her like a horrifying snap of a burning whip. She was sitting behind Toad which made her more likely to be the one to take a bullet. If she bled out here......all these people...Ivy looked around in horror. She risked leaning up to get close to Toad's ear keeping her voice as calm as she could.

" Toad.....if I get hit...if I even take a little flesh wound like you have.." His blood was still sluggishly dripping on her hand and he opened his mouth to tell her it was more then a little flesh wound and it hurt like a bastard but her next words made his blood go cold.

" You're going to die...all these people are going to die..and you'll be wishing for a bullet to the head before you ever get to your last breath. You've GOT to loose these fanatic assholes right now! "

Toad swallowed and shot a look behind them. The van had slowed the truck down but the cyclist had gotten braver and was rapidly catching up with a telltale sign of metal gleaming in one of his hands. Toad leaned low over the hog flying beside traffic towards a four way intersection. He took a moment to grimly tell Ivy to hang on even though he doubted a crowbar could pry her off him. He steadily cut his speed down.

In order for this to work. They had to practically on his tail. The cyclist shot at them the bullet going wild as he tried to remain steady while avoiding the traffic. The truck was on it's tail and people were moving out of the way as they realized a gunfight was in process.

Toad got to the end of the lane with the gang member behind them taking aim again when he suddenly careened into a u-turn. Startled by the shriek of tires and smoke the gang member kept going as did the truck, both barreling into oncoming traffic. Ivy squeezed her eyes shut as the bike bounced off a curb and into a small shopping plaza. She thought Toad might slow down maybe at least check to see if they were safe but to her utter shock he gunned it and shot towards the window of a corner store at the end of the plaza.

" Toad what the hell are you doing!! "

Ivy cringed behind him pulling her legs up and clamping her knees almost under her elbows trying to protect herself as they crashed through the glass. By some miracle they were spared any cuts. Amidst the confusion and shouting in the store Toad was forced to circle around displays knocking a few over and showering them with colorful bits of cloth. He made it to the end of the boutique and aimed the bike at the opposite glass.

" Toad wait! "

Toad ignored her and gunned the engine again spinning the back wheel wildly before crashing out of the store leaving pandemonium behind. He smiled grimly. The norms would have to u-turn and make it back through opposite traffic to the turning lane they'd just left in order to catch up. he began to pick off the lacey garters and lingerie off his person.

" Cor lov' you'd look smashing in some of those duds. I'll 'ave to take ya back there when we've more time. "

Ivy stared at him in disbelief.

" Are you on drugs? "

Toad rolled his eyes " If I had a quid fer every time I was asked that..." he muttered.

He gradually began reducing speed relaxing feeling Ivy's death grip on him loosen. As they were coming up on another intersection Toad opened his mouth to suggest they head back to the brotherhood lair.

Before a sound left his lips there was a roar of an engine and to Toad's utter shock he saw the truck racing towards them from the righthand lane the cycle close behind bullets flying. Ivy cried out. They were dead..no way could Toad dodge those and skidding under the gunfire with the bike would rip her hide off killing them all.


	14. Chapter 14

Toad shot out his incredible tongue snagging a red light pole and lifting them...actually lifting them with the bike using it to eat up some of the bullets. He'd hooked one of his legs around her own and pulled it up saving her leg from a gunshot wound by centimeters. Against her will respect for Toad's strength and quick agility filled her. She regarded the back of his head with more then a little awe as the wind rushed through her hair. The bullets harmlessly popped holes into the bike's lower half. She thought she heard air escaping from the back tire.

Ivy barely had time to notice the amusing astonished look on the cab rider's face as he ducked. The truck drove under them their tire almost skimming the vehicle's roof. The jolt of the bike falling back to the pavement made her teeth clank together barely missing her tongue. A scream got her attention as the other cyclist jerked his bike to avoid colliding with them wiping out on the pavement and skidding out of control. The gang member rolled off nearly getting run over in the process leaving a good amount of skin behind on the asphalt.

Toad brought his other leg around in a smooth fast move and squatted long enough to perform a side kick connecting to the screeching sliding cycle sending it skittering the other way. He hopped back on never once letting go of the handlebars. Over the honking, shouting, and panicked commotion he turned slightly to her.

" Ivy? Do you trust me poppet?! "

" Yeah of course , " she responded shakily without thought. The man had just saved her life more then once in a short period of time. " Why? "

Toad paused long enough to light up before he fired up the cycle and aimed it in the direction the truck had gone.

" Cause now I'm really pissed off! "

" Oh Toad.." Ivy groaned tightening her hold on him again as they took off.

The truck hadn't gotten far and it was apparent that some of the fight was going out of the passengers. In the rear window past the dejected sitting truck bed rider there appeared to be an argument going on. Toad increased his speed until he was close to passenger side. Some of the bald men within were arguing in favor of going home and recuperating for another time. The near accidents they'd missed on this insane deadly chase had done a lot to cool their ire.

If Ivy expected Toad to slip by quietly and leave it alone she was sadly disappointed. He got right up on the passenger window as close as he could get so he could make eye contact with the driver who seemed to be the most hotheaded of the bunch.

" HEY YA FUCKED UP *MERKIN PUSSIES! "

Ivy groaned and again buried her head against his back as he proceeded to flip the gang off making sure everyone of them got a good look at his obscenely long middle digit. Then before their shock wore off he spat blinding the gaping front seat passenger. The man let out a muffled scream and dropped his gun trying to peel off the hard sticky green muck that burned his eyes and cut off some of his airway.

Toad cut the truck off leaning low over the handle bars as he headed towards the overpass. The truck roared behind them and Toad grinned fancying he could hear the blokes cursing at him. He glanced behind him knowing that the norms would be more intent on getting off the goober he'd spat on their buddy then shooting at them. It was the driver he was banking on. That skinny dip shit who'd shot him looked like he was foaming at the mouth behind the wheel. Toad knew the driver was beyond rage which was perfect since it took his attention off where Toad was heading and that would cost them all dearly.

" Ivy! Wrap your arms 'round my shoulders an get ready tae jump! "

Ivy did so raising up slightly expecting a soft landing spot. Instead terror jolted through her as her eyes fell on the parkway in front of them. The road turn could go left or right but Toad barreled through traffic towards the low wall guarded by flimsy guard rails. Beyond that was water and from the height Ivy realized the turnpike was also a bridge. A very very high bridge crossing around over the sea to a lower part of the city.

For Ivy everything suddenly seemed to slow into an agonizing crawl as if time itself was trying to stop this insanity. A strange buzzing seemed to fill her head silencing all other noises. She saw the railing getting closer and closer. Rust marks stood out and a few of them even looked like faces and funny animals. She was barely aware of Toad bringing his foot up and planting it on the seat to give them a powerful push off. As suddenly as the slow motion feeling gripped her it was quickly gone and everything was moving too fast.

Toad cursed as he felt Ivy slip off and bent his legs clamping them together catching her before she slipped too far away. Ivy's breath was knocked out of her and something hit the bottom of her foot sending pain shooting up through her ankle. She glanced down and saw the bike had flipped on impact and it's bottom wheel had smashed into her foot before beginning it's descent down. It seemed to be falling at the speed of light in front of Ivy's helpless eyes as her body was jerked around by Toad twisting in mid air at the height of their jump.

Toad knew from experience he had to time this just right. He only had 13 feet to work with and his powerful legs had sent them up 16 feet or higher. He watched beginning to free fall as the truck hit the rail and flipped over it sending the men to the water below. They were so close that Toad actually saw a pair of panicked eyes through the window and a rush of air as the truck passed them gravity pulling it greedily towards the water. Toad again employed his tongue . They had already fallen past the bridge and he only had a narrow beam of time to work with before it was to late to save themselves.

Ivy's breath was trapped in her lungs as she watched the truck hit the water with brutal force and horror filled her as she wondered if the men had survived. The sudden jerk as her and Toad stopped in mid fall made her slip more and she fell away from his knees where she had been clinging like mad. Toad's feet clamped under her armpits and forced her breath out in a painful groan. Her fingers scrambled and found purchase on his strange toes and fear caused her to dig in her nails cutting red crescents into his skin.

" Ugh! Ack!? ugh-a! "

Trembling Ivy looked up and saw that Toad had taken his tongue with both hands and was swallowing it slowly drawing them up towards the underside of the bridge. She shuddered again looking away disgusted but also in sympathy for how much pain that would cause if it was her. Toad brought his feet up and let go of his tongue with one hand long enough to snag her and jerk her up against him where she could wrap her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck which she did so burying her face into his shoulder.

Toad grunted. Normally he could retract his tongue with both speed and ease. However with Ivy's added weight it was a slower process and the added strain made the tendons in his jaws ache and his throat burn as if he'd swallowed a hot piece of coal. Sweat made a slimy film on his skin but he still managed to shimmy up that appendage with relative speed now that he didn't have to worry as much about loosing Ivy to the cold waters below. He planted his hands and feet on the cemented underside of the bridge and walked over to a supporting beam closer to the center of the bridge. He could hear sirens and he knew it would be a bad idea for two mutants to pop up at the exact scene of a crime if the bobbies were around.

Toad leaped to the beam easily making the distance and landing as perfectly as a tree frog on a leaf. He wondered briefly if he'd ever get his hearing back in his right ear. Ivy had the shriek of a bloody banshee on a megaphone. He straightened his arms out and pulled her slightly away from him so he could take a gander at her white face.

" I think I'm gonna be sick..."

A horrible image from the movie ' The Fly ' came to Toad's mind and he could just see his body melting into disgusting pile of goo. With a ' Oh shyte! ' Toad turned them into a horizontal position grabbed Ivy's pony tail, jerked her head down, and aimed her face at the water below well away from him or any parts of his body. She stopped struggling once she realized he wasn't trying to throw her off him.

" You're crazy!...your a..a...maniac...that was the most stupid....are you trying to KILL us?! ooohhhhhh....."

Ivy closed her eyes and concentrated on her stomach trying to calm it's outrage and convince it to keep it's contents..and her body fluids..inside where they belonged. A few deep breaths helped. The cold sea air slapping her face cooled her heated cheeks and the fact that Toad apparently wasn't concerned about their height went a long ways towards helping calm her fears. He's gone through great lengths to protect me and keep me safe she mused. Toad's voice seemed to be bouncing around almost tenderly in her head. ' Do you trust me poppet? Do you trust me? Do you....' Yes thought Ivy. Yes I trust you. More then that I think I'm starting to feel something for you..is it possibly lo..' she slammed the door hard on that thought ruthlessly squashing it. That way lay danger, pain, and death not necessarily for her but for him. Still someone who could make her feel so safe through such a scary and dare she admit it? Exciting ordeal was worth a moment feminine admiration.

Luckily for Ivy before she could go dewy eye-ed enough to say something that would make her sound like a weak damsel in distress offering to kiss the ass of her rescuer Toad snapped her out of her tender moment by giving her head a sharp shake...using her hair.

" Hey! are ya gonna chuck or not? I ain't got all blasted day poppet! "

** please review **

* Merkin = American ( derogatory ) *


	15. Chapter 15

" What's your rush ? " Ivy croaked. Her wondering eyes suddenly locked onto the shore below them and to her relief it looked like all the gang members had managed to get out of the truck. She wasn't sure which one but one member was on his ass, knees drawn up, and face buried into his hands, shoulders shaking while two others patted his back tried to comfort them. She realized that while she had been studying this spectacle Toad had been talking to her .

".....I'm well done in and on top o tha' I've been shot, so before I crash out an kill us both.. I'd really like to get to a safe place where I don't hafta worry an I can try tae keep my pecker up. "

Ivy blinked. She didn't understand every thing he'd said but she understood the word shot. She mentally kicked herself for forgetting. ' He's been shot dumb ass get ahold of yourself so you can help him!'

" I'm feeling much better. If you climb up and across I can help you get over the railings and we can find someplace to take care of that."

Toad raised his brows at that. She had pulled herself up so fast she'd nearly hit his chin with her nose and despite what she said she was still white as a starched sheet. She was going to help him? He'd be surprised if he didn't have to carry her the rest of the way home. Toad walked around the column and without a word leaped to the next and last one. It would be too much of a pain to try to climb up and then all the way over. Much better to cut the distance he had to go.

To her credit Ivy didn't bust his eardrums. Rather then screaming she opted for trying to strangle him instead. The death grip of her arms around his throat cut off his air supply and reminded him just how bad his throat hurt from chain welding knobb at the pub. He had to tap her arm twice before she loosened up enough for him to drag air in. She fell back limply and Toad quickly brought his knees up so she wouldn't fall. Her face had gone from white to an unhealthy cottage cheese color.

" I think I hate you. "

Toad grinned. She ruined that statement with a hiccup and quickly leaned back into him holding on minus the panic from before.

" You don't like heights do ya princess? "

Ivy's voice was muffled but he could still hear the defense in it.

" I don't mind heights....when I'm strapped into a nice safe vehicle...but I'm no Mary Jane..swinging from building to building isn't my idea of fun. "

Toad frowned slightly making his way up to the underside of the bridge. Mary Jane? Who the hell was Mary...his mind suddenly connected her to the web slinging hero and he chuckled. It wasn't like his usual nasty laugh. It was warm and full of good humor and despite the height Ivy took a moment to enjoy the way it felt as it vibrated against her through him.

* * *

" Spider man was a bleedin' pussy. " Toad scoffed reaching up to get hold of the underside of the bridge. " I mean really...a radioactive spider? That's the most puggled thing I ever 'eard of! "

" Spider man could probably take you down Toad. " Ivy smiled. She was just laying on him now and not having to look down had done a lot for her constitution. She winked at the look Toad shot her for that jab. They were almost to the edge of the bridge.

" Poppet..Toads EAT spiders for breakfast, brunch, an dinner. " Toad said arrogantly. He reached out to curl his fingers on the edge of the bridge so he could walk along the side. It was tricky with Ivy on him. Her back was going to have a bend a good deal. " I'd probably kill tha' tosspot dead....an maybe squash em like a bug for good measure. "

"Sounds charming." Ivy murmured. The concrete edge of the bridge was digging into her back as she was bent somewhat painfully. Luckily it didn't hurt to much since she was an avid believer in yoga....'thank god for those pretzel like stretches' she thought bending a little more.

Toad licked his lip getting rid of some of the beaded sweat there. He was really starting to feel his aches and pains now. Especially that blasted gunshot wound. He refused to wimper or puke. Puking was definitely out. He could save all that for when Ivy wasn't around. He concentrated on the task at hand. Just a little more and they'd home free with his pride intact.

Toad's tongue shot out and wrapped around the guard rail. He let go of the concrete with his hands to hold Ivy tightly against him while he ' walked ' up the side of the bridge closer to the edge. With a grunt and a jerk of his thumb he motioned for Ivy to climb on the ledge. He pressed his hands into the back of her theighs and gave her a boost until her bottom was resting safely against the rails. Toad began to climb as Ivy grabbed the railing and turned around intent on climbing over so she could give him a hand.

Toad froze. For moment all he could see was Ivy's bottom. He couldn't help but to admire the way her ass had been poured into those too tight jeans.

' Oh 'oly hell! I'd love to dip my wick into that! '

He couldn't of course..she'd already inferred he'd kill himself if he did. Still....he watched her long legs straddle the rail. If he had to go out that would be the way to go..after all no bloke wanted to die limp right?

" Toad! "

Toad blinked and realized she was leaning over the rail reaching out waiting for him to take her hand. From her annoyed expression she'd apparently had to try more then once to get his attention. He grabbed her hand and allowed her to help pull him up. He noted the angle gave him an excellent view down her shirt. That deep cleavage brought his mind around to the fact there were other places not so deadly he could dip his wick. He pondered that thought with interest as he climbed over and planted his feet on the ground. To his horror his knees gave out and Ivy was forced to try to catch him before he hit the pavement.

Toad shook his head hard trying to bring his galloping mind back to the problem at hand. Hell even if she HAD been safe..and willing...he wasn't in any condition to shag anyone period. ' It's blood loss you dumb buggar it's makin ya batty! ' He blinked at Ivy's legs. She looked like she'd suffered the world's worst menses. From her crotch to the end of her left ankle her jeans where soaked with blood. His blood. ' bloody 'ell musta taken a worse shot then I thought. No wonder I feel like shyte. '

Ivy glance worriedly across the parkway. There was a fire truck and two ambulances parked there as well police who directing traffic around a sealed off area. The police hadn't noticed Toad yet but they would if she didn't get him out of here. They stood up with Toad leaning on her for support. She wrapped her arm around his waist and tried to make it look natural. A couple out for a stroll. Of course it would help if his face was out of site.

" Toad " She hissed " Pull your hood up! "

" huh? " Toad asked sluggishly. He was distracted by the car next to him. It's windows were rolled down. A little boy was hanging out the back seat staring at Toad wide eyed.

" Aw shyte! " Toad began fumbling with his hood trying to get the damn thing untwisted enough to get it on. The boy pointed at him and he cringed at the shrill excited voice.

" Mommy! Mommy! Lookit! It's an alien mommy! He's so cool! Lookit! "

The woman behind the wheel fiddling with her radio and pressing a cell phone to her ear at the same time mumbled without looking up.

" That's nice dear. "

Toad got the hood over his head pulling it low to hide his face a flush creeping up his neck. Ivy was shaking next to him and he realized annoyed that she was trying not to laugh. Alien indeed! He peeked at the car again which was slowly inching forward. The kid was still hanging out the window and he flashed a Vulcan peace sign at Toad with a cheeky gap toothed grin. Feeling a bit stupid Toad flashed the V right back at him. He and Ivy moved away the thrilled voice trailing faintly behind them.

" Mommy we communed! Isn't that awesome! Mommy! "

Ivy snickered adjusting her hold on Toad's waist.

" Live long and prosper. "

" Oh shut up. " Toad muttered sourly taking the lead towards a building he knew had a dark basement and was currently empty of anything but the occasional homeless.

Ivy merely smiled at him.

" Hey at least you got a fan base. "

Toad snorted trying to concentrate on walking. When did that become so hard?

" Think I'd rather 'ave a fan base full of pretty lil' fluffs mistakin' me for a stud. "

Ivy laughed. The same throaty full of humor laugh she'd graced him with at the pub and Toad couldn't help but to grin somewhat bashfully.

" Guess I should count m'blessings. He coulda called me an ugly green mutant an she probably would 'ave looked for herself and screamed the bobbies onto us. yea might be a bit cooler t'be an alien then a ugly mutant."

" Your not ugly." Ivy said opening the door he indicated " Your unique. Different yes but I wouldn't exactly call you ugly. You've got an odd sort of charm to you. "

Toad gaped at her while she peered nervously down the dark steps. " Toad are you sure this is...safe?"

"Huh?" Toad brought his eyes around to the stairs " oh yea ..shore pet. Thought you trusted me? "

Ivy sighed. She had said that. She gave Toad a grin and said,

" Right. Beam us down cap'n."

" Now knock tha shyte off! "

Toad rolled his eyes and started down the stairs trailing one hand along the wall.

* * *

To Ivy's relief the basement wasn't as dark as she had feared. Light filtered in from gaps and holes in the ceiling. She helped Toad to a pile of discarded cloths and gently set him down. He groaned giving into the pain for a moment to hell with his pride it fuckin' HURT! He opened his eyes feeling Ivy's nervous fingers trying to pull up his shirt and he shifted trying to give her a hand. That done she studied the wound on his side her face pinched and drawn.

" Well? 'ow bad is it? "

Ivy leaned back with a harsh sigh running one hand roughly through her hair knocking it out of it's pony tail.

" Well it's not good but it could have been worse. It's a gap..almost 2 inches deep, probably from all the activity after you took the hit, about 8 inches long. Severed a lot of veins and arteries so it's no wonder you bled like a stuck pig. "

She shook her head " We need to get this stitched Toad. Not just to stop the bleeding but the longer it stays open the bigger possibility you'll wind up with a serious infection. Is there a hospital close by? "

" No 'ospital ! Are you loony? I'd be scragged for sure trying to get treatment at a flatliners 'ospital! "

Ivy glared at him. He glared back and he knew his scowl was much meaner and more threatening then hers.

" Well what do you propose? Try to walk back to your room? You barely made it here!"

Toad ignored her for a moment digging into his pants. He came up with his lucifers and his lighter and lit up.

" Oh yeah, that's really helpful Toad! "

Toad glared at her from under his brows still digging into his pants until he found what he wanted. A small packet containing needles and lots of thread. He handed it to Ivy who stared at him agast already afraid of what he was going to say.

" 'ere princess." He motioned to his side " 'ave at it. "

* * *

Ivy grumbled to herself as she shakily threaded the needle. She had spent 10 minutes arguing with Toad to no avail. She'd gone over several very good reasons why she shouldn't do this including the fact her hands were unwashed and she couldn't even sew a button back on a shirt if it meant her life. She might as well have saved her breath. Toad had merely looked at her with a ' you're boring me to death ' expression and then pointed out the longer she waited the more likely his wound was to get infected.

Toad tensed as she leaned down over him and bit down on his lip drawing blood when the needle pierced his skin. He didn't have anything for pain. He began glancing around trying to find something, anything he could concentrate on until this was over.

" So..uh Ivy...when did you find out bout your mutation? "

Ivy paused a moment before jabbing him again. " I always had it. "

Toad winced. That hadn't even answered his question and she apparently didn't realize he was trying to get a conversation going since she clammed up.

" Well ...did ya parents know? "

He jerked slightly as the needle went in again and the thread was pulled through. He was sweating..well oozing might be a more proper term. His sweat only served to make him slimy which in turn caused the needle to slip several times as Ivy tried to peirce his hide.

" No. Not right away. I'd rather not talk about if you don't mind. "

The needle slipped again causing him to get poked several times at which point he decided he'd had it with trying to be polite.

" Bloody 'ell you stupid witch! You think you have something to hide?! Don't bother you're not special! There ain't a mutant alive that doesn't have horror stories! "

Ivy stopped what she was doing to stare at him shocked. Toad brutally continued on.

"I've been fuckin shot! I don't 'ave anythin' fer tha pain! The least you can do is let me take my mind off it by gettin to know you better! Tell me a story! Flash me! 'ell sing me a fuckin lullaby! Just stop being such a pissy cold fish! If I wanted that shyte I coulda gone 'ome an let Wanda stick me! "

Ivy's first thought was to dryly point out how odd it was a man with as many piercings as Toad had would get all bent out of shape over a little needle. Her second thought was to realize he was right. What could she possibly say that would shock him? He'd no doubt been through his own nightmares looking as he did. Still the thought of actually talking about herself left a bad taste in her mouth. Even Don knew very little about her. She leaned over and started to jab him again, he was really starting to sweat now, before she sighed and sat back a moment.

" I'm sorry. You're right. I want you to know I think you're a brave man to go through with this, I couldn't have. "

Toad merely watched her. She nervously took a moment to wipe some of the goo away from his wound.

" I guess I'll start at the beginning.."

Toad raised his brow in interest holding still while Ivy added another stitch and prepared to dredge up her dead stale memories and give them life.

***** Please review****

I notice I lack reviews is the story getting dull?

I will try to pick up the pace I promise and there

will be some Toad/Ivy action later.

The how of course will be a surprise.


	16. Chapter 16

" My most important memory..was of my mom and dad. They were always sick. You have to understand they didn't know about me and as a baby I didn't care. I produced tears when I was sad, I drooled constantly, and then the changing of diapers. I don't think people realize just how much body fluids one baby produces in one day.

One of my earliest memories were of my mother. I'd spilt something and it had scared me into crying. She picked me up to comfort me. Then she sort of...dropped me and started seizing on the floor..body jerking, eyes rolled back, foaming at her mouth and I went from crying to screaming for my daddy. I had never been so scare in my life at the time. I didn't know that it wouldn't be the last time I saw my mother suffer.

For all that they loved me. My father was especially close to me. When he was home he wouldn't hesitate to take me out and buy me pretty things and then take me to watch a baseball game with him. As I learned to walk and talk he started taking me to playgrounds and batting cages where I'd scrape my knees and elbows. I didn't mind back then..my father was always there to kiss my boo-boos.

As the years went by the medications and hospitalizations were more frequent. I didn't find out until later but they had hardly ever been sick before they had me. Now they were being diagnosed with everything from epilepsy to mental illness. My father was the first one to develop brain tumors. Doctors removed them and he'd thank God but they'd come back. Both of them had to go into a mental faculty for treatment of schizophrenia...they sometimes just out of the blue suffered hallucinations.

The kids at school had started to avoid me. They sometimes got sick to. Especially if they had to play with me at recess. Pretty soon even the teachers wanted nothing to do with "cootie Ivy". I had my own little desk in the back room as far away from the other students as possible and I was banned from P.E. It hurt. I didn't understand. I was just a little girl.

Then I'd go home and my father would scoop me up and hold me and I'd tell myself I'd never be alone as long as I had my daddy and mommy. "

Toad winced as she jabbed him angrily her eyes far away. It dawned on him that maybe asking her to talk about something that upset her while she wielded a needle that she intended to stick him with might not have been his brightest idea. He didn't say anything however, he still wanted to hear this.

" Go on pet. "

Ivy sniffed and cleared her throat before she began her tale again.

" I hit puberty when I was 9. That's when I knew something was wrong. It wasn't just the normal occurrence of a little girl growing up. It was the pain. The pain inside..it was like...well like...my blood had turned to acid. My whole body burned and hurt inside. My saliva started to taste different..I didn't know that it had always been a bit different but now it was even more so.

When I started bleeding it was agony. My parents rushed me to hospital terrified. The doctors and nurses wore gloves but in the end it didn't save them. They gave me shots to stop the bleeding and it did. They took x-rays, catscans and found nothing. Nothing was wrong with me inside. Not that they could see. They didn't do a blood test thank god, but if they had I'm sure they would have known I was a mutant."

Ivy smiled sourly " Mutants were really starting to come out back then. "

" Too bad I didn't know I was one until it was too late. My dad became sick. Sicker then usual. The doctor that had been treating him found more brain tumors and diagnosed him with terminal cancer. Within 3 months he was at home dying in his own bed. The doctor asked him all kinds of weird questions about radiation exposure and if he'd been around a nuclear plant things like that. He hadn't been. His job didn't take him around those kinds of places.

He'd only been around my mother.

And me.

He had some rare form of cancer and he suffered Toad. It didn't matter what they gave him he suffered. The last thing he said to me....the last thing I heard..was him thanking God I didn't have my mother and his poor health issues. "

Ivy let out a harsh laugh. " I still wonder what he would have said if he knew I was the one killing them? "

Toad stopped her hand for a moment and waited until her eyes met his own.

" Nuthin' 'e wouldn't have done nuthin' different. He loved you Ivy ya was his lil girl. I don't think he would 'ave regretted a single moment with ya no matter 'ow sick he was."

As an after thought he added " I 'aven't an I've been shot. An I know yer a mutant. I'm still keeping you. " This was said with sharp toothed grin.

Ivy gazed at him for a moment and then small sad smile came to her face. If Toad..who certainly wasn't the nicest person she'd ever met could believe that her father would have cared for her just as well and still given up his life for the moments spent with his daughter...then perhaps she could come to believe the same with time.

She felt her heart thaw a little more before she hastily reminded herself she was his prisoner. Prisoner's couldn't really afford to care about their captors. Once he was done with her the next obvious assumption would be she'd be a loose end. Loose ends were tied up and gotten rid of.

" My mother grieved for a few months. She had to have some tumors removed and she remarried. The doctor that had treated my dad became my stepdad. I was..bitter. I didn't like him. Compared to my dad who'd play harmless little pranks and had a real slapstick sense of humor this man was a cold fish. My mother died when I was 10. I was actually starting to connect some dots then. My step father mentioned that a lot of the people who had been in the ER the night my mother and father had rushed me there to help me were sick. Cancer..or radiation poisoning of some type.

I think he was starting to connect the dots too.

Of course the only reason he'd mentioned them to me is because he had brought a class action lawsuit against them. I never bled again after that night. He blamed the injection telling me it had made me barren. Can you believe it? I was 11 years old and he's going on about what a shame I'd never be able to get pregnant yadda yadda I think he was trying to embarrass  
me. "

Ivy gritted her teeth. She was almost done with the stitching.

" He did embarrass me. Didn't hesitate to pull out charts and explain exactly what he meant or how it should happen. I didn't really believe it was the injection. I remembered that pain inside. I think I...I somehow...damaged myself. I don't think I'm 100% immune to my own toxins if they travel someplace their not supposed to be. Like outside my veins and arteries.

Anyway he won, got a large amount of money, and sent me away to a private institution. I was glad to be away from him and I was good in school. I mean I had no friends and all the time in the world to study so I was able to move ahead a grade twice. My stepfather wanted me to become a doctor and I knew I would take some premed classes to make him happy so he wouldn't bring me back home. Deep in my heart though I knew I wanted to be a cop, like my father, protect people from danger..and from myself.

I also met Patrick there. My first boyfriend."

Ivy leaned back and studied the wound. It was stitched tightly her sewing was sloppy as hell but the wound was closed and not even oozing a little blood. She tied it off and Toad used his lighter to burn the thread off. He relaxed now that the ordeal was over. A few moments of rest to give him a chance to try to dull the pain and let his sweat dry would see him good enough to walk back to the brotherhood lair.

" Wot 'appened tae Patrick pet? "

Ivy gave him a cool look her voice was dull and flat when she answered him.

" He died. That's what people do around me Toad. They die. Period."

" What 'appened? "

" That's none of your damn business! " Ivy snapped stuffing the needle back into the packet and nearly sticking herself in the process.

Toad gave her such a chilly smile she felt gooseflesh raise up on her exposed skin.

" Now poppet, when I kidnapped ya didn't ah give ya a lil speech about what's what? I ask the fuckin' questions and YOU answer them. Cause I'm 'olding the cards remember? Well..in this case it's three photos an three address's but it's all tha same ain't it? Now talk turkey pet an I won't 'ave to take my frustration out on anyone ya care about okey dokey? "

Ivy flung the packet at him and angrily scooted further away turning her back on him. How could she have thought for one moment she could ever like this asshole?

" Alright you prick you want to hear? Well I'll give it to you..and I hope you'll think long and hard about what I could do to YOU and your buddies if it means being free."

Toad silently dismissed that. He was already positive Ivy wasn't going to do a thing. Not just because she was worried about her friends but because she was too tenderhearted by far. He'd felt her relief when she realized the gang members had all lived. Since he'd technically done nothing but force her to be a guest he was pretty sure he was safe. His only concern was when she was going to figure out his bluff was just that. A bluff.

" I was 15 and Patrick was 17 and we were in love. At least I thought it was love. I'd been lonely for so long and Patrick made me so happy that I was able to convince myself that maybe....maybe....everything had been a tragic coincidence. Maybe It wasn't really me to blame. This led me to let my guard down and let him join me in bed one night in the dorm. "

Ivy touched her lips briefly remembering. His touch, his taste..how'd he'd almost swooned after she'd kissed him and had laughed it off claiming it was just one too many drinks. Damn her she'd believed him. She still couldn't believe how stupid she'd been or how naive. Of course he hadn't been interested in kissing her. All his interest had been for whatever she'd had under her clothes. Probably his only interest in her period.

" We didn't use protection. I was too...well I was a virgin and I trusted him. I was so stupid! But I just wanted to have someone hold me again...to care. "

She wrapped her arms around her knees her eyes filling with those damn little watery bombs. Rustling behind her told her Toad had moved closer. Wanted to hear the juicy bits no doubt. Ivy grimaced and continued wanting to get past this part.

As soon as he uh ...well you know when he um...." Ivy blushed.

" Breached ya? "

She nodded quickly. She liked that word. It was a little tame for how Patrick had torn into her like a bull but it wasn't vulgar enough to make her lose her composure completely.

" Yeah after he..breached me...he died. Right on top of me. I don't think it was just the act of having sex...I think it was several factors...my tears..my sweat....my.....blood. I was in hysterics but still the first thing I did after I got out from under him was to run to the bathroom and wash the blood away. Wash everything away. All of it. I even cleaned him up before I screamed for help. The campus doctor billed it as a combination of a stroke and a heart attack. They never could explain the slight burn on the skin of his uh...groin. I made sure to never talk about it to anyone. "

" Jesus Christ on a cross. " Toad stared at the floor for a moment. He'd known it was going to bad. However he hadn't expected anything this...raw. Even Rogue had managed to get her first kiss without killing the guy.

Ivy propped her head moodily on her arms. " One good thing did come out of it. At least I knew for sure..I did kill my mom and dad. I killed god knows how many people in that ER. Probably killed some of the kids at my old school. I realized I could never be with anyone ever again. It wasn't until I skipped one more grade and made it into college at 16."

She turned to gaze at Toad and he couldn't help but to pull in a breath. She truly was a beaut. Those sad deep blue eyes. That fiery hair and lush lips. And of course the body. Lawd he'd never get over that body. Even if he never got to hit it. The way Ivy was staring at him made him flush slightly. Couldn't read minds he hoped or he'd be in the toad house he would.

" Well, had enough? Or do want to hear the rest of my pathetic life? "

" Might as well spill the rest lov. I'm shoring oop me strength for the walk 'ome. "

He brushed some invisible dust off his shoulder mumbling.

" Ain't pathetic...it's just tragic. Fuckin' waste of a good thing too. "

Ivy almost rolled her eyes. A good thing? Her? Yeah she was a real prize alright...If you were suicidal . Or desperate. She'd seen how Toad had been drooling over her.

" Well again one good thing came out of college. I took some premed classes including advanced chemistry. Mainly because I hoped to find a...well a cure..for my problem. My professor was Dr. Mitch Dillenger and he was fascinated by my work and my questions. He was on me day and night with his own questions and then one day...I confessed everything to him. Mitch was one of the few normal people I ever met that didn't hate us. The only person he brought in was his partner Andrew who was a professor of Physics.

Mitch convinced me to let him test my fluids including my blood. I didn't have the equipment to do it nor the know how of where to start. I agreed. I mean he was wearing gloves and being careful so he was safe right? Andrew helped him and using mice they were able to start telling me exactly what some of my fluids did."

Ivy Leaned back and tipped her head up thoughtfully her hair brushing Toad's leg. He tried to ignore those soft locks brushing against him and concentrate on what she was saying.

"They were trying to help me. No one had tried to help me before. I was starting to believe them when they talked about how after all the fluids were broken down They could find a way to counteract the effects. Believing I'd be normal soon and having two brilliant men helping me made me let my guard down again....and I fell in love. "

Toad flinched slightly. He hated that word with a passion. He'd never been loved in his life. Even by some of the mutants he'd lied down with. The whole deal had pretty much been hey I'm desperate and your desperate let's scratch the itch and move on. He gotten to the point sex...for him at least..had become a bodily function no more important then pissing. He shook his head tucking that thought away so he could concentrate on what Ivy was saying to him telling himself the burning in his chest was heartburn.

"As soon as he tried to court me I told Eric that I was a mutant and outlined what had happened. I was kind of hoping to drive him away for his own protection. Eric wouldn't be driven away though. It was corny how he tried to court me..Flowers..teddy bears..heart shaped items of all types."

" Teddy bears fer a woman in college? " Toad snickered. He wasn't sure what he would present to Ivy if it was him but teddy bears didn't come to mind. Maybe just teddy's made of lace and satin.

Ivy shrugged one shoulder still resting her head sadly on her arms.

" As I said it was corny. Yet it was so sweet. I'd never been courted before. Not like that. So we became a couple but not lovers. On that count I was adamant. Eric didn't complain. Meanwhile Mitch had to go to the hospital...brain tumor. He assured me that cancer ran in his family and he wasn't exactly all good habits. I let it go. I mean really how could I have known? I was never told about the mice.

When I was 19 I graduated from a police academy I'd been attending when I didn't have classes at the college. Eric was there. So was Mitch and Andrew. My step father never showed up for which I was glad. I felt like this was the beginning of a new life for me. Mitch and Andrew claimed the last thing they needed to break down was my blood. After that they were sure they could come up with something to null and void the effects of my body. "

Ivy began to rock the memories assaulting her like demons tearing at her mind.

" I was so happy. Everything finally seemed to be going right. When me and Eric got back to his apartment he finally convinced me to become his lover. To protect himself he said he'd wear two condoms. I was so stupid! God..." She covered her eyes for a moment " I got so..into it..that I was well....it was..kind of like naigra falls I guess. I was so excited...more so then I'd ever been with Patrick."

She let out a dusty chuckle. " Poison I may be but I apparently have one hell of libido. Eric got some of...well he got some fluids on him because I did get so excited. He had a stroke. Not the combo that Patrick had had to kill him but I was forced to clean up everything again and call the ambulance.

They did what they could for him but it was too late. He was almost completely paralyzed and his memories were shot. He didn't even know for sure who I was. That's when I thought of killing myself. The only reason I didn't was because God knows what my body would release once it started to decompose.

Less then a month later Mitch was in the hospital with brain cancer. By the time I saw him so much damage had been done that he didn't know me. He...just kept screaming about...uh..about rats coming out of the walls and the ceiling.

I was beginning to have problems in my job as a cop as well. People where getting sick. My partners the prisoners I apprehended. It seemed like there was always some way they managed to touch me right when they shouldn't.

Andrew contacted me. He was diagnosed with cancer as well but he'd kept working on my blood until he found out what was wrong. "

She looked straight into Toad's eyes. " It's like toxic waste. My blood I mean. Get it on you and your dead within 24 hours of radiation poison. But it's more then that. It's the fumes it releases. Depending on how much your exposed to you'll suffer radiation sickness and slowly develop cancer of the brain or spine. It'll kill you eventually. It might take days, weeks, or years....but it will kill you.

Andrew had already developed tumors that had to be removed. He explained that mice who were on the other end of the room developed the symptoms. He and Mitch had exposed god knows how many students just by bringing them into that room with that one tiny tube of blood. He guessed my blood was lethal up to a 3-5 miles radius. Him and Mitch never got around to even trying to find something that would keep it in check. "

" Fuck me! " Toad gaped at her. It dawned on him briefly that this woman was the kind of weapon Magneto was always trying to get his hands on. Imagine..no soldier or army would dare draw a weapon against her for fear of shedding her blood. As quickly as he thought it he dismissed it. Mutants and humans alike would drop like flys around her. She couldn't control anything but her saliva.

" Yeah well I would..." Toad looked at her sharply " but as I said..I don't need a green British ghost haunting me. I have too many ghost as it is. After a year I left the police department and went into security. Four years into that and I met Don and we came up with an idea of a bond and bounty hunter agency. Alot of it is just paperwork and verifying addresses so I've had less deaths on my conscious.

People have died because of me though. Doctors, nurses, patients, students, professors. Hell look what happened to you. I'd give anything to take it all back. Yet I can't. All I can do is go on and just dream of having a normal life with someone.

Last year Don had to have a tumor removed from his skin. I don't know if it's because of me and I never will. If he dies, if I kill my best friend and my partner, I'm going to the nearest mutent faculty and I'll turn myself in with a suggestion they kill me and contain my body like it is toxic waste forever. "

" I'm sorry." Toad knew those words were as inadequate to her as they were to him when someone gave him pity but he couldn't think of anything else to say. He was glad he knew now so he could warn the brotherhood. As for himself....well...as long as she didn't get damaged there was no reason he couldn't keep her. Besides if he kicked the bucket who would care? Really? Not one damn soul. Despite it all he was still enjoying her company.

" Up pet." Toad grabbed her arm and hauled her to her feet. "Time to get back an before I shackle ya oop again I'll make sure there ain't any burrs to cut yer pretty little hide. "

She stared at him agog then her eyes narrowed angrily. " How the hell can you keep me after what I told you? Haven't you been listening to me? You need to let me go and forget you ever saw me and thank whatever great frog in the sky you worship that I haven't done that much damage to you yet! "

Toad chuckled evilly and stuck his face right into hers causing her to lean away from him.

" Already told you lov...I'm keepin' ya. I like yer company. It be well worth whatever discomforts yer gonna cause me it will. So until I decide I'm done with ya, ya can just heel an march. I don't want to have to cuff you an drag ya behind me....but I reckon I will if you make me. Now move!"

Toad gave her a hard shove and she stumbled towards the stairs cursing him angrily. Toad fought to hold a grin back. Women. Didn't she get he was doing her a favor? She was so focused and angry at him that not a single tear had spilled from her overflowing eyes and he reckoned with the resentment pouring off her they wouldn't. ' God save park avenue an all tha shyte. Not tha I'm gonna get a fuckin trophy or anythin. Still the woman's a damn sight to behold when she's angry. ' Toad smile secretly to himself and happily ogled her swaying bottom all the way back to the brotherhood lair.

*

*

*** your welcome for the long chapter. I wanted to flesh Ivy out a bit more ****

Hope you've enjoyed my writing so far.

Anyone want to pitch ideas at me for what might happen when peitro finds out about this?

You guys are a joy to write for please review they help me keep inspired to write.

If you want to tell me my story sucks and my oc is a mary sue at least have the courtesy to point out why you think that is so I might improve.


	17. Chapter 17

Don tapped his fingers at his console. He had picked a couple of low risks cases to work that required time on the computer and phone. The report in front of him was still blank. It was noon..that time when gunslingers had once felled each other with bullets. He'd been there since 7 am and had been brooding and distracted since last night. At this point a bullet would be a welcome distraction.

Don gave up on the report for a moment to turn to Ivy's desk to study it. Nothing was out of place there were no suspicious emails except for a few derogatory jokes on the general failure of man. He'd bring those up when she came back. If she came back. When he'd come in this morning he'd been grim over a discovery he'd made last night and been going over and over Ivy's call trying to detect fear or pain. She had merely sounded disgusted and a bit impatient with him for drilling her.

Now more then anything Don wished he had drilled her more had threatened and bullied to get the truth out. He was now going on 3 days since she'd been missing. Last night he had gone into her room to gather her half of laundry figuring he might as well do it with his own so it'd be clean when she got back and as he had bent down to scoop up some shirts, socks, and pants his eyes and glanced up and seen something that had froze him on the spot.

Ivy's purse was on the table. Everything he'd been holding onto fell from numb fingers. Further investigations and produced her wallet still containing her id both general and professional and her credit cards. Don has pulled the drawer open and glanced in. Her gun was still there as well as her gloves she wore to try to protect people. Now damn it there may be a good explanation to leave without her purse. You couldn't even drag Ivy to the land lord's room without her gloves and her guns.

Don had spent the good portion of the night calling car rental places within walking distance. Everyone he talked to had been the same ' No sir I don't have that name in any of our database and we have world wide connections'. He had finally slammed the phone down on one chatty clerk and gone to bed. Where he had tossed and turned his mind nagging him about something he couldn't quite remember. Something she had said that was odd and stuck out of the conversation in his mind something about almost stepping on something but he couldn't remember what. He knew it was important and so he had concentrated until he fell into a deep sleep.

Now at work looking less then professional..oh how Ivy would laugh if she could she his mangled tie, he was suddenly dealing with several issues and none of them good. First and foremost Ivy was gone. She might very well call him again but he was willing to bet his badge she hadn't left the apartment willingly. The only sign of a struggle had been their gun laying by the couch. Don acknowledged that as evidence it was slim. The damn thing fell out from under the cushion all the time.

" The fact ladies and gentlemen.." Don murmured to himself " you don't go on a long trip to the Great lakes without any id, money, and gloves." Ivy wasn't his type but he was willingly wager she could make one or two of the Victoria's secret angels fall from grace but pretty looks didn't go far when your trying to rent a cabin, a boat, and bait. In fact even in this city where gorgeous  
women flocked into modeling agencies hoping for a job to start off glamorous careers looks didn't do doodly squat and the majority of them worked much less exciting and sometimes more dangerous jobs using their assets.

Done rubbed his eyes praying yet again that she hadn't been takin by a gang..and yes it would take a gang to take her down...for some type of sexual exploitation she'd be killed the minute they realized the clientele was dropping like flies. Which would effectively kill a whole lot of people.

Don tiredly sipped his 8th cup of coffee. God what was it she said? she'd almost stepped on...His eyes fell on his other issue. An envelope with his name had been waiting for him in the agency's box. Not unusual he and Ivy alternatively used their work and home address. As soon as he had seen who it was from he had gotten a sick feeling in his gut.

From the desk of Dr. Kung Po neurologist and certified neurosurgeon..

Don had frequent headaches sometimes distortion with his vision. He'd gone to have a catscan done and they had found a spot in his left prefrontal lobe. Don glanced almost guiltily at Ivy's empty chair. He hadn't told her wasn't going to tell her. The minute she had found out that would be it. She'd turn the business to him and flee to god knows where. All the times they'd had, the laughs the tears, albiet carefully, and the victories for mutants who seemed to be fighting a losing battle with mankind and who needed bounty hunters and investigators just as bad as the norms did.

NO. He'd never make her feel like she had to run away. This was her life. It gave her purpose. He'd leave instructions that if he died on the operating room table while he was having the biopsy done. Ivy was to be told that Don had wanted his records sealed.

His eyes fell on a business card and he bared his teeth at it. Just as they had known there would, an investigation had been started on the death of the drug dealer who'd made the mistake of his life hitting Ivy. Not just once but twice. This time had been different though. Besides an internal investigator there had been two other men involved. They had had official government badges. They'd flashed them so fast Don hadn't even gotten a look at what agency they were from. The two had had no distinguishing features and were dressed in somber unrelenting black. Don had to hold himself in check to keep from politely asking them if they were going to neurolize his brain so his memory of them would be erased.

His urge to joke had dried up as soon as one of the men started talking in a soft emotionless voice.

We've followed Mrs. Conner's career very closely Mr. yeller.."

" Beller," Don interrupted him " It's Don Beller. "

" Yes well Mrs Conner hasn't registered herself as a dangerous mutant.."

Don interrupted again getting angry. What kind of investigation was this?

" Because as I'm SURE you gentlemen are aware the mutant registration act was never passed as a law and she damn well doesn't have to do doodly squat!."

The regular investigator cleared his throat nervously " Ah Mr. Beller the young man who died.."

" You mean the drug dealer who was peddling to kids and attacked us first, wanna see my stitches?, that ' young guy' ?"

" Well uh yes sir...well back in her previous careers..."

" Which has no bearing at ALL on the case you were sent here to investigate. So far not one of you have even asked about this case.....if your not here to investigate this specific case and you just want to focus on my partner who can't help the way she's born anymore then a child with down syndrome can, why I'll need to ask you to leave."

The investigator shifted his feet and began to glance around face flushed. The two shadowy figures however weren't moved.

" Mr Beller where is Mrs. Ivy Conner? "

Don stood up and crossed his arms so he was on equal footing. He had a bad feeling any show of worry on his part would be Ivy's undoing. He scowled at them.

" For your information she took a well deserved vacation to the Great Lakes. "

The two men glanced at each other grimly.

" Damn. "

" She already fled we should have moved when we had the chance!"

" Are you two a pair of dumb asses? " Don asked incredulously. All three men look at him startled. As he continued to speak anger clouded the two men's faces. " Didn't you understand what I said? She....Took...A....VACATION. Does that compute? "

Don stepped around his desk the two men reacted by reached into their coats for whatever guns you they might have. Don merely leaned against the front to his desk and glared angrily at them. He noticed the investigator also had his hand on his piece but his eyes where glued to the men in black.

" Mr. Beller I'd tread very carefully if I were you we work for..."

" STOP" Don held up one beefy hand. " You know what? I don't give a shit if your wearing little white dresses and wings under those coats and your answering directly God. If you really checked Ivy's background then you KNOW that has long as she's worked here she'd hardly missed a day for any reason. You'll also know she's been planning for years to visit the Great lakes. "

Don calmly reached around and plucked a card off his desk. " This is my agent's attorney. Any other information you want you can go through him. Good day gentlemen I hope I've made myself clear. "

" Why you shit kicking piece of trailer trash! We work for an agency that's so powerful we don't have to contact a fuckin attorney!" The tallest of the two had stepped forward his gun peeking out of his coat his face beet red with anger.

" I see I wasn't clear.." Don straitened himself up " My finger is on an alarm button which if pushed will bring the police running. Before you try to tell me they won't help let me remind you I'm not a mutant. I'm actually well respected and they won't take kindly to you threatening a civilian. Since I'm sure you hogged through my background as well this could get pretty ugly."

The investigator cleared his throat " Yes it'd be mighty bad publicity...officials who probably parade under government cover randomly going through private records which they haven't been granted access too....why the press would have a field day. Threats to an unarmed non-threatening civilian would raise an outcry from mutant supporters and non mutant supporters alike.

Don nodded and looked at the guy in front of him. His red face and they way he was heaving his breath in and out through his nose made him think of an angry bull.

" Plus the way you flashed those badges I assume you don't want your agency widely known. Therefore the discreet thing would be to leave now."

Both men gave him a murderous look and then calmly left.

Don turned to his guest " Did I really look non-threatning? "

The investigator groaned and sank into a chair.

" Holy Joe! I thought you were gonna pounce on that asshole bite his damn arm and hang in there like a bulldog."

" Hey now....I'm not that bad lookin my mom tells me so. Coffee Mr. ah...."

" Just Sam "

" Well just Sam just Don. Will this investigation take long? "

Sam shook his head gratefully accepting the coffee. " No I'll write it off as self defense."

" Thank God for small favors." Don groaned.

Sam took a sip and tossed a worried look his way." Don...those men were bad..I mean real bad..maybe you should close operations for a bit? Just to be safe I mean."

" Yeah...yeah I might have to there's just someone I need to find. "

Now the clock chimed 4 PM and Don dropped his head to his desk. 'Oh God Ivy please call me...don't wait two weeks...Christ I never shoulda left you alone...losing you wasn't worth mom's Toad - in- the-hole. If I just had followed you home all this shit wouldn't be falling to...'

Don's thoughts screeched to a stop. He lifted his blank face, mouth agape as it suddenly became clear to him.

Don Beller private investigator and bounty hunter leaped to his feet so fast his chair was knocked down. He slammed both fists on top of his desk staring at Ivy's desk.

" I'll be a son of a bitch! TOAD! "


	18. Chapter 18

He'd gagged her this time. Apparently he was taking no chances she might spoil their little boyhood meeting. Ivy glared at Toad wishing she could dig her nails into his shoulder and draw blood, she longed to be able to fry him to a crisp with her eyes, she even sent up a prayer to God to make the cigarette he was about to light blow up in his face.

Of course nothing happened to Toad other then he shifted back in the beanbag and pulled her tighter against him. He'd tied her feet and cuffed her hands together. If that wasn't bad enough he'd looped her arms over his neck giving her no choice but to press herself up against his side so she wouldn't hang off him like a side of beef.

Toad seemed immune to her ire. He wasn't the least bit concerned she might kill him. In fact Ivy had a sneaking suspicion he was amused by her anger. Cigarette dangling from his lips he reached around and lifted her legs over his own. This of course shoved her face right against his throat.

" Mmmf! MMM-phhhh! uniiiiie mph! "

Pietro sighed annoyed.

" Toad stop playing with that thing before you go blind and pay attention! "

Toad stared at him from under his brow then slowly twisted the hand that had been resting on Ivy's side and flipped the bird.

" Shove it mate....ain't missed a thing ye said I ain't...still doesn't sound like a scheme Mags would usually cook up. "

Pietro slowly walked over to them and then suddenly had hold of Toads shirt jerking him forward until they were almost nose to nose.

" Are you calling ME a liar? "

Blob frowned " Hey! Leave Toad alone before I sit on ya's!"

Master mind sighed and muttered " It's so nice to have such intelligent articulate team members to rely on. "

The Scarlet witch gained her feet alarmed while Toad slowly took his Dunhill cancer stick out of his mouth and blew a stream of smoke into her brother's face.

" That's enough! It's important we all pull together on this.."

" Well I'm tired of the disrespect this slimy British piece of urrk! "

Having gotten the distraction he needed Toad wrapped his tongue around Pietro's throat two or three times and squeezed hard. He was somewhat off balance with Pietro's weight and Ivy's weight bumping against him but he held his feet long enough to fling Pietro against the far wall. He slipped Ivy off him allowing her to slide onto the beanbag.

The Scarlet witch rushed to her brother who was having some trouble pulling air into his abused wind pipe. She turned preparing to fry Toad and found him crouched on the bar staring at her with those creepy wet black eyes.

" Don't fookin' bother bitch. He 'ad it comin' an you know it! "

Toad's eyes swept the room angrily before meeting Pietro's again.

" Fookin 'ear this all of ya. I'M tha' one tha' put the Brotherhood together. Me! An I did with Mags blessin's cause e' RESPECTED me as 'is right hand man 'ell of a lot more then he did either of ya."

He was pleased to see Pietro flinch and the Witches mouth thin out.

" I don't follow ya, I've never followed ya, and I damn well ain't lettin you throw your I'm-the-prince-kiss-my-ass attitude round 'ere. Ya kin damn well slide a little of tha' respect you want towards me little boy blue cause neither of you would BE here if it wasn't for me. I'm the one that convinced Mags you'd be good assets to the Brotherhood. Believe me ya weren't on 'is recruitment list."

Scarlet witch stood up her fist clenched her eyes spitting fury. Toad sneered at the threat she was presenting.

" By tha way...I ain't the only one takin my stand. Ya might bear that in mind afore you hex me. Think o wot daddy would say."

Blob shifted causing the the couch to groan in pain.

" Yeah! You leave Toady alone.."

Alarmed she looked at mastermind who grimly met her eyes but didn't get up or speak out against Toad. After all he'd been a brotherhood member longer then they had and he could honestly say he preferred Toad's leadership to Pietro's if he couldn't have it himself.

Scarlet sighed realizing that once again her brother had managed to royally screw up. She tentavely looked at Pietro who was pulling himself up anger still burning off him as hot as a flame.

" Toad...I'm sorry..we certainly wouldn't question your place here. My brother as rash as he is just wants to establish his own place....."

" Just you." Pietro had pulled himself up his voice a broken croak. He clenched his fists ignoring his sister's dismay. " C'mon Toad..I've gotten pretty tired of you myself."

Toad stared at him in disbelief. " Oh ya wanna fight now eh? Well fook it..alright let's get it on...no speed on yer end an I'll keep me tongue to meself." He slid off the bar adjusting his bandanna and cracking his knuckles while Pietro gave him a curt nod.

" Both of you stop this! It's a waste of energy you could be using for tomorrow." Pietro's sister groaned in dispair. They were ignoring her squaring off like a couple of boxer's in a ring. This time she was afraid it was going to prove nastier then the last few squirmishes and no one seemed inclined to stop it. She'd be lucky if either one of them made it through this time.

Peitro still hoarse, took a fighting stance he'd learned from other mutant groups " I shouldn't HAVE to respect a creature like you. Magneto should have banished you to the Morlocks that's the only place you'd get any respect " Toad " and I'm pretty sure they'd stick your ugly mug out in the rain."

Toad gave him a snide look " Wot? Wot's tha mate? Can't 'ardly 'ear you, speak a little louder why dontcha? "

Both of them moved in towards one another.

" AHEM."

Toad didn't take his eyes off Pietro. Pietro took a super fast look, faced Toad again, then gasped and looked back towards Ivy horrified. Toad frowned and he also looked at her. He swallowed hard and his belly began do fluttery flip flops in fear. They were all staring at Ivy alarmed.

' Yes,' Ivy thought ' you damn well better pay attention to me. '

Ivy had gained her feet using the table to help pull herself up. She'd spotted a knife on the table and after removing her gag she faced all of them slightly crouched to keep her balance the knife pressed so deeply into her palm that the slightest movement in either direction would be the end for all of them..perhaps for the whole block.

Her voice was cold and emotionless. " I've faced violence all my life. Either the cause of it or on the receiving end and I'm sick of it!" She glared at pietro " Maybe Magneto doesn't respect you because you can't stand to show that you can be good team player probably the best since your his son."

She turned her eyes to Toad who flinched. " You...maybe if your concerned the plan won't go well maybe you could offer alternatives like a good team member Instead of pointing fingers. But let's face the facts shall we? It would take a team to pull that off but you're no team are you? This 'Brotherhood' is nothing but a straw house waiting to blown apart from within."

She moved her gaze between Toad and Pietro tipping her hand and spreading her fingers wider so they could see just how close the thin barrier of skin was to being ripped apart.

" You think all mutants should back up your ideals? Fine..consider me a Brotherhood member and seeing that the goal seems to be kill each other instead of peace..as you PROMISED that's what you were bringing to us..let me save you the energy and just plant the lot of you into the ground myself. How about it? Will the all powerful Magneto give me respect for that? Do tell me I'd love to know."

Toad slowly raised his hands " uh Ivy luv....was jist a lil tiff..'onost! We were jist blowin off steam we were. Right mate? "

Pietro looked at him for a moment before dropping his eyes he hated admitting defeat but he'd been calculating how fast he could get of range of Ivy's poison. Truthfully he doubted he'd get out of the house before the toxin poisoned him.

" Yeah. " He croaked " Yeah just blowing off steam. We do that sometimes."

Ivy twisted throwing the knife hard enough for it to bury itself to the hilt in the wall. She glared at Toad her hands still hooked into claws. She rattled the cuffs at him.

Through clenched teeth she said " Get these off me right now."

" Uh right luv lemme jist find the keys." Toad began dipping his fingers into the hidden pockets he'd had placed inside his pants trying to find them.

Blob tentavily began to eat again while mastermind wiped his brow. Pietro allowed his sister to check his throat. She shot an odd look to Ivy while she did so. Ivy wasn't sure but she thought there might have been a hint of gratitude there. Ivy gazed at Pietro's angry face. He was a handsome man loyal to those he cared about, like his sister and any father should have been proud to call him son. She couldn't help but feel sorry for him.

" You know...." Pietro gave her a sullen look. " If you've done everything you can to earn his respect and it hasn't worked...then maybe HE doesn't deserve to have YOU as a son. "

Quicksilver was silent an odd look on his face. Then he sneered at her.

" What are you my psychologist? "

Ivy shrugged. Toad finally located the keys and began unlocking the cuffs.

" I took a few classes as part of my training for law enforcement. They do come in handy and uh..no charge for you."

He was silent a moment his face thoughtful then he glared at her

" Whatever. Just stay out of my way."

Ivy watched him walk off and sighed. Toad had the cuffs off and began unbinding her ankles. Wanda followed her brother out the door. Once free of her bounds Ivy headed towards the bathroom. Her arm was abruptly caught and she turned back to stare at Toad.

" Listen uh Ivy..I'm not...I don't..well I'm a pretty good chap most of tha time ask any bloke 'ere. Even Wanda probably vouch for tha'."

Ivy raised her brow then glanced pointedly at the cuffs. Toad gave her a defensive look.

" Ivy...I 'aven't been beaten ya..lawd knows I wanted to once or twice. When I took ya I didn't 'ave rape at all on me mind."

Ivy raised her other brow at him. Toad flushed.

" Alright I wuz hopin' I could get some afore I knew the extent of yer..uh mutation. But I wouldn't commit rape 'gainst no womon I was hopin' you'd....you know...maybe look past...and decide... Well anyhows I'm holding ya against yer will for sure ah don't deny it.

Ivy waited a bit baffled as to why he was telling her all this. This man was disturbed she couldn't seem to predict one mood from the next with him. She had a sneaking suspicion he might have multiple personalities. On the other hand his accent was getting heavier apparently because he was wound up. She was actually starting to have a little trouble understanding him. Still she thought he sounded cute as hell. Toad rattled the cuffs and rope in front of her.

" This ain't tae punish ya pet, it's to protect you. "

Ivy let out a bark of laughter. " I think I've proved I can protect myself Toad."

She turned again to walk away but he grabbed her and roughly turned her to face him. Before she could protest he pressed his finger against her lips. She stiffened slightly lips parting surprised. He rested his cheek against hers and whispered gruffly in her ear.

" Ya don't fookin get it Ivy. Ya shouldn't HAVE tae. I brought ya 'ere. I'm responsible fer ya and it twists me in knots tha' I can't get ya to trust me when I say you ain't 'ere to be 'urt. You don't seem to have common sense tae match your beauty. You're meek when I need ya bold an bold when I need ya meek. These" Toad held up the bindings agian " seem tae be tha only way I kin keep ya toein tha line for your safety."

Toad jerked his head slightly back indicating the room were all the mutants had been. " I shouldn't 'ave tae worry bout any o em but I do."

Ivy stared at him for a moment. "Toad what exactly do you want from me? "

" Companionship. " Toad gave her a sincere look. " I swear on me Aunt's grave. It's all I'm expectin tae get"

He let go of her and indicate the bathroom beyond. " Go do whotever yah need to do pet. "

Toad turned to leave when Ivy grabbed him and turned him to face her. She wiped her mouth on her sleeve making sure her lips were dry. Toad watched her oddly waiting to see what she wanted.

Ivy leaned up and placed a chaste kiss on the corner of his mouth. Toad's eyes were closed his face looked slightly pained. Ivy leaned into him and whispered,

" Alright I appreciate you watching out for me when you don't have to but let's cut some bullshit...you grabbed me to punish me for turning you in. Whatever happened to punishing me? How can I trust you when I know your intent was to make me pay. Whatever happened to that? "

Toad heaved a disgusted sigh gently pushing her away. His black eyes bored into her own dark blue ones before he muttered.

" Won't 'appen Ivy. Swear it cause I'm a stupid fooker tha likes to torture m'self. "

Ivy gazed at him baffled when blob called Toad from the other room.

" Toad! Phone for ya! Can you bring me some ice cream with a spoon buddy? "

Toad sighed and turned to the freezer grabbed a gallon of ice cream and a spoon and left Ivy staring after him. ' Stupid fooker ya botched it. Now she'll think yer a nutter!' He exchanged the food for the phone still calling himself all kinds of fool.

" ello? "

" Now see Toad...if you'd joined us the students might actually tip you if you sneak them ice cream this late at in the afternoon. "

Toad chuckled lighting up and noting he was down to one smoke. " Scott you wanker! Pull 'nother one will ya? 'ow are ya? 'ow's Jean an all tha lovey dovey shyte? "

Scott smirked into the phone " I'm fine, Jean still thinks I shouldn't associate with you and I'm a man..I don't know about any lovey dovey stuff. "

Toad settled into his bag leaning back. ' Ohhh right fergot tae tell ya all bout me sex change. Savin up now for a fine set of hooters.."

" OH gross man stop. I don't even wanna think about that. Might make my brain as demented as yours! "

Toad cackled. It tickled him how prissy Scot sounded sometimes. Scot cleared his throat.

" Hey Toad I need to talk to you. "

Toad frowned there was something in Scott's voice that put him on edge. " Oh? Wot's tha mate? I promise I ain't hitten yer lady love on tha side."

Scott snorted. " As if I'd worry about that. Uh listen not over the phone. Can you meet me in the park on J. ave in an hour? "

Toad glanced around casually before replying softly " Yea mate...I'll be there. "

" I'll bring the game too. "

" Well Scot mate yer a peach ya are. See ya in an hour. "

They hung up and Toad dropped his head back with a groan. Rubbing his brow he muttered,

" Fook me! Now wha' ? "

* * *

** please review**

Sorry for my delay I hope I didn't run everyone off..

I've had to do research on the x-mens and the plan for tommorrow..

agian I'll do some Ivy Toad action soon

Should I hold details on the love scenes?

My last story they were pretty xxx- rated..

Please me know so i can plan out

**** Much love ***


	19. Chapter 19

**19**

An hour later in J. Ave Park Scott Summers stepped through the gate and casually began to walk towards the meeting spot he and Toad had chosen. Jean had protested and had wanted someone to go with him even if it was her. Hank the beast and the Professor had come around to his side much to everyone's surprise and even told Scott it was his choice to use the information they'd been given earlier over the phone by a representative named Don or not.

His long coat flapped around his legs as he brooded. The problem was he really liked Toad. When Scott had joined the Brotherhood it was Toad's snarky sense of humor that had kept him from complete dispair over the lives lost on the London mission to blow up Big Ben.

The funny thing about Toad, unlike the other members, was he'd been willing to listen without just dismissing Scott's concerns. When the situation called for it Toad could be surprisingly serious, diplomatic, and practical all at the same time which was why he was Magneto's right hand man and most trusted, loyal Member.

It was also the reasons Scott hoped to bring Toad into the institute as another teacher and member of the X-men.

Just then he turned a corner on the path which opened into a small clearing studded with low trees. He tripped over something and once he had his footing quickly looked around. There were about 5 young men laying here and there amongst a small assortment of weapons. Scott checked and was relieved to find they were all alive merely knocked out. He stood and peered into the darkness irritated. With his glasses on he was able to see just the same as in the daylight. He spotted Toad leaning against a bench smoking.

Scott stifled a small knew Toad couldn't help it, he had to wear something to conceal himself. If he didn't he was liable to be shot on site by anyone who had any type of gun. Still the hooded cowl Toad favored made Scott think of a monk and he half expected Toad to start chanting Latin or some such. The effect was ruined however since Toad had crossed one ankle over the other planting his toes into the ground and caused both of his large, three toed, webbed feet to show.

Scott leaned against the table with Toad and again surveyed  
the men.

" So what'd I miss ? "

Toad snorted disgusted. " Muggers. They tried tae mug me kin ya believe it? " Toad made an indication to one of the fallen men. " That one there didn't even look old nuff tae shave. I'm tellin' ya mate. We're gonna hafta watch out fer the damn ankle biters soon."

Scott chuckled at the picture that sprung to mind.

" Alright, alright I'll start checking every stroller and baby carriage that passes me to make sure nothing's armed in it. Here's the game. "

Toad reached to take it. " Ya yer laughin mate but you'll see that I'm right well nuff you silly wanker. "

Toad's thumb left a smear on the games cover and Scott grabbed his wrist then pulled back to stare at the blood on his hand.

" Mort?"

" Aw fook! I fergot bout that..sorry mate.." He switched the game to his other hand and cleaned it off on his cowl then tried to wipe the blood off his bloodied hand also on his cowl. " An don't call me Mort ya know I 'ate that! "

" How bad is it? " Scott asked mildly concerned he knew Toad hated being fussed over and would walk around for days with a broken leg before he'd submit himself to someone else's hands for help. Of course Scott had no idea he'd already been fussed over that day and had enjoyed it quite a bit.

Toad shrugged secreting the game away somewhere on his person. " Not bad...jist a nick is all. "

Toad casually lowered his hood and looked around. Even though he saw no one but the unconscious men he kept his voice low,

" Uh kin ya bind it fer me? I don't wanna leave a trail even dumb arses like the X-goofs could follow."

Scott smiled shaking his head " Yeah I guess I can do that for the biggest Toad in New York. "

Toad took off his bandanna causing his hair to spring up everywhere. Again Scott tried not to laugh. If Toad ever straightened his naturally curly hair he'd have an afro. Toad slipped off the cowl on one side and presented his arm tattooed with a huge red T. A jagged slice bisected the T. Scott began tying the bandanna around Toad's arm and some mischievous part of him caused him to mutter,

" Uh oh Toad."

" Wot? Wot? "

" This isn't good...you won't like it..."

Toad frowned straining to see the whole wound.

" Stop playing silly buggers Scott! Wot's wrong? "

Scott tied off the bandanna. " Your gonna have a broken T when that scars up. "

" WOT? " Toad glared at the gang members " I should rob their arse to make 'em pay for the redo! "

" You mean you didn't? " Scott asked dryly.

Toad grinned at him displaying a mouthful  
of sharp teeth " They didn't 'ave nuthin on 'em worth taken...got this though!"

He pulled out a switch blade and showed it off rolled it over his blood encrusted hand and caught the handle again holding it in a slicing position.

Scott nodded. " Great you have yet another illegal thing to add to your collection. "

Toad let out a slightly bitter laugh " Mate I'm illegal jist cause I'm alive an I'm a freak. "

"Aw com'n Toad. You're not a freak and you know it. Knock it off will you? "

They both fell silent staring at the ground in front of them neither one was sure how to break the sudden awkward silence. Scott tried to think up a way to bring up the questions he wanted to ask without flat out accusing Toad of kidnapping. Toad merely stared at his cigarette and pondered when Scott was going to question him about Ivy.

The moon came out and splashed more light on them and Toad eyed the high collar coat Scott had on.

" Mate? Wot the fook are ya wearin'? "

" What? " Scott frowned at him temporarily distracted from his musing.

Toad grabbed Scott's coat between two fingers and shook it slightly. " Wot tha fook is this thing? You recycling tents now are ya? "

" Please don't get blood or slime on this...I'd have to have it dry cleaned. " Scott said dryly.

Toad stared at him a minute then burst out laughing. " It 'as tae be dry cleaned? It's that fancy? Lemme take 'nother gander. "

Toad hopped back and held his hands up fingers up thumbs touching like a photographer checking a scene. " Nope mate ya need tha hat. Tha coat alone is just pathetic..but with tha hat you'd look like a true American gangster!"

Scott rolled his eyes " Alright Toad you've had your fun knock it off. "

Toad hopped back by him and leaned in dropping his voice into a stage whisper.

" Why mate? Ya gonna make me say 'ello to yer "little " friend if I don't? "

A groan cut them off. They both looked at the gang members who were waking up. One was actually sitting up and groggily rubbing his head. Toad hopped to the base of the tree whose boughs they had been standing under and quickly leaped into the branches. Scott stared up at him.

" You want me to climb a tree? " Scott called up softly " Why can't we just..."

Toad cut him off with an angry hiss " They still got guns ain't no law sayin' only one gang per night is allowed out now git up 'ere ya silly bugger! "

Scott sighed and glanced back. the members were indeed grabbing their weapons albiet slowly. Two of them kept glancing up at the sky as if they expected some menance to swoop down on them. They held thier guns up shakily and Scott decided Toad was right. No reason to take risks when they didn't have to. Toad hissed at him again.

" Scott I swear on me Aunt Beatrice's grave if yer worrying over tha damn coat I'm gonna fook it up so bad no amount of dry cleaning is gonna fix it! "

Scott leaped up to grab a low branch and scrambled up until he could settle himself somewhat comfortably on a branch near Toad. They both held their breath as one member swung the still shaking gun towards the noise. Scott glanced nervously at Toad. If the man started shooting they'd be sitting ducks. Toad inched forward a little the tip of his tongue clearing his lips and Scott leaned forward to slap his gloved hand over Toad's mouth.

The look Toad gave him was priceless. Scott ignored him for a moment. The gang member was staring fearfully at the shadows in the tree then jerked when one of his brothers called to him for help. Apparently the larger gang member had to have two others assist him, he was hopping on one foot. Since Toad was the cause Scott was pretty sure it was a broken leg.

Once the gang moved off Scott sighed relieved and pulled his hand from Toad's mouth. Much to his disgust the tip of Toad's tongue literally peeled off his hand like tape leaving slimy sticky residue behind. He grabbed the bottom of Toad's cowl and cleaned his glove off. Toad glared at him and before he could blow a gasket Scott gave him a deadpan look.

" By the way...my ' little ' friend is actually pretty big."

For a moment Toad just stared at him. Then his wide lips quirked up and he pressed his mouth into his cloth covered arm to muffle his snickering.

" Oy mate ya know wot? I don't want tae see it. "

" Well I wasn't going to show you anyways." Scott said primly causing Toad to snicker again.

They both heaved a sigh and leaned back against the trunk. Toad was the first to break the silence.

" Alright mate ask me."

Scott tensed up slightly " Ask you what? "

Toad shrugged " Wotever ya want tae ask me...yer practically burstin' at tha seams so ask me wotever it is an let's be done with it. "

Scott sighed and leaned his head back. His job had been easier when Toad had been just another one of the bloodthirsty members of the brotherhood. Before Scott had had the chance to actually get to know the green limey.

" We got a call today from an investigator, Don Beller. "

Toad merely watched his head politely inclined.

" Seems his partner is a very dangerous mutant whose gone missing."

Toad snorted. " We convert members we don't kidnap em."

Scott looked Toad in the eye. " Yes that's what I said. However you have a beef with his partner. A woman by the name of Ivy Conner? Red hair? Blue eyes? "

" Oh shyte! I remember that bitch! She arrested me near a month or so ago." Toad curled his lip up in a snarl. " I wouldn't bother to kidnap that poisoned twat. If I get my hands on er I'm gonna lay into 'er arse an leave 'er knocked up at the fuckin door. "

Toad glared at the air in front of him hoping this performance was going to do. He could feel his shirt sticking to him as sweat began to ooze out of his pores. Scott had an odd look to him and he was smirking at Toad.

" Wot? Wot tha fook is it now? "

Scott faced straight ahead and murmured " You're going to knock her up huh? "

" Yea..tha's wot I said ain't it? "

Still staring ahead Scott placed two fingers against his lip and asked " ..and after you knock her up what are going to name the baby? "

Toad suddenly realized his error. Against his will his voice took a bit of shrill edge " OUT I meant ...knocked out...what do you think...a baby? Heavens above...knocked out you know wot I meant! "

Scott watched Toad fumbling with new pack of smokes. His hands were shaking as he lit up one of them. He puffed a moment then turned a pair of black eyes on him resigned.

" Mate you're really pissin' on my night you are. "

Scott placed his fingers on his glasses turning the power of the beam down so Toad wouldn't be killed by the blast.

" Toad...where is she? "


	20. Chapter 20

**20**

Toad dropped onto his back on the branch giving Scott a kick in the chest before doing a back flip to roll out of the tree. Scott grunted and also rolled out of the tree. It had been a pulled kick and had stunned him more then anything. Scott hit the ground and took aim. Toad had hopped towards a wall that was connected to a large building. Gorgeous ivy climbed the wall for visitors to enjoy while the wall directed them to other parts of the park.

Just as Toad reached the wall and was squatting to jump Scott blasted the top of it causing it to rain Ivy vines and bricks down on him.

Toad leaped back but was unable to avoid all the debris. A particularly nasty section hit his foot and Toad swore he could hear the fragile bones in his middle toe fracture.

" Awwwwoowww Shit fook! Shit fook! !" Toad grabbed his throbbing toe and began hopping around on one foot still cursing heartily.

Scott leaned in to tackle him when Toad whipped his head around grabbed Scott with his tongue and sent him stumbling past. Scott's foot caught up on some of the debris and suddenly his balance was gone and he was flat on his back the breath knocked out of him a second time. He was dimly aware he was cursing rather loudly himself.

The fight suddenly hit a stalemate. Toad had taken the advantage of Scott's fall to plant a foot on his neck. Scott glared up at him his fingers still on his visor his breath jagged as he tried to get his air back.

" Ya stupid prick ya move and I'll crush yer fookin neck! "

Scott calmly pointed out the obvious. " You put pressure on Toad and you're going to become a eunuch.

Toad hesitated. With Scott looking up at him from the ground he did have a perfect shot between Toad's muscular legs to his gonads.

" Shit.." Toad said sourly considering his options. There weren't many. Toad hadn't wanted to end the night fighting with his best friend. Scott was just as well trained as he was which made intimidation useless. The only thing left to do was eat crow and tell Scott his version of the truth and hope he'd go away satisfied with that.

Toad removed his webbed foot and limped to a park bench making it clear he wasn't trying to run. Scott grunted and got up feeling a bit bad he'd had to hurt Toad. It hadn't been his intent. Chest still tight, back aching from the fall, he made his way over to where Toad had perched on a picnic table.

" You're an arse ya know tha' ? I think you broke my fookin toe ya son of a bitch!. "

Scott grunted settling himself next to Toad who was wiggling the aforementioned digit experimentally.

" You kicked me out of a tree you asshole! I could have had my head split open on one of those roots did you even think of that? "

" It's full of air anyhows. " Toad grumbled. He was grimly pleased that the damage to his foot didn't include a broken toe. Still it was swelling and turning a nice shade of yellow. Shit.

Scott glared at him. " You're not distracting me Toad. Where is Ivy Conner? "

Toad glared back at him. " She's with me. "

Scott nodded grimly. " Yeah I thought so. We're going to the brotherhood lair right now and you're going to let her go or so help me the X-men will be ripping that place apart and I won't hold back again like I did tonight. "

Toad gazed at him one corner of his lip curled up and an unreadable look on his face. His eyes were crafty though which put Scott on guard. Toad lit up a smoke.

" Scott...Ivy ain't physically restrained.." that was true for the moment " An I just took 'er out fer drinks she was with me willin' tha bartender can vouch for that. Ya missed me meaning ya did. "

Scott watched him carefully. " Which is? "

" She's WITH me...you know...same place, same bed, going out fer a good time together...willingly..she finds me accent sexy." Toad flushed slightly at that last bit but he hadn't really lied yet.

" What? "

Toad glared at the disbelief on Scott's face and decided that question wasn't even worth an answer. His English was just fine and sexy on top o that. He puffed away while Scott stared at him.

" You mean...you and her..are..."

" Together. " Toad answered flatly. His temper cooled was starting to boil up again.

Scott wasn't able to stop himself. He laughed.

Toad ground his teeth together his temper starting to take on the fiery shape of Satan.

" Wot tha fook are ya laughin at arsehole? "

Scott's laughter dried up. " Are you serious? "

Toad slapped the table and got down. " Fook no! O'w could I be ' mate '? After all everyone knows I couldn't get a date with anythin' but me hand right mate? Crist I thought ya was me mate. Thought ya was cut from a different bolt of cloth! Shows wot I fookin know don't it? "

Toad stomped away his gait somewhat marred by a slight limp. Scott was startled to hear true pain in that rant and he felt shamed that he really had reacted the same as anyone else even though he was sure he knew Toad better then that. After all wasn't he, Scott, the one who preached equality to the students no matter what the x-gene had done to them? Yes he was.

He leaped down and hurried after his friend. " Toad wait! "

" Leave me alone ya one eyed prick! "

Scott followed him through one of the exists out into the cold dark streets.

" Toad! I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry alright! Toad! "

" I SAID..." Toad whirled around and Scott took a half step back suspecting what was coming. " LEAVE ME ALONE! "

Toad's fist cracked into the side of Scott's jaw almost dislodging his glasses. For a moment Scott considered walking off. To the hell with this brit and his bad temper. Let the other X-men verify Toad's claim. He'd found out what he needed to. Fist clenched, breathing hard, his own temper close to snapping, Scott calmly adjusted his glasses and glared at green brotherhood member.

Toad was leaning against the wall his hands limp at his side. His face was hidden by the hood but his cigarette afforded enough light to see his mouth which was trembling slightly. His stooped defeated posture almost made him look like he'd shrunk and his head remained lowered as he stared hard at the ground between his feet. Those damn feet..large...green...three toed heavily webbed feet. God he hated them more then anything else on his person even if they did give him an incredible ability to walk on walls and ceilings.

Toad tensed slightly as he felt Scott take hold of his shoulders. He supposed Scott had every right to blast him out of existence. Maybe, he thought to himself, maybe it was time to give up the fight. Life had yielded him nothing but this cold emptiness in his chest and this yearning to just let his pathetic existence go. How long could one live on lies and war that gradually  
turned one into an animal alone with no reason to live?

Scott bent his knees willing Toad to look at him.

" Hey. You were right. I am a prick sometimes. "

Toad didn't crack a joke about that statement but he at least raised his head to look at Scott. His eyes, usually bright and shiny, were dull and listless. Even his skin had lost it's luster as if it where pulling in it's own moisture in an attempt to hide.

Scott shook him gently. " Toad I don't mean to be that way. It must be part of my charming personality." One corner of Toad's mouth quirked up slightly so at least he was listening.

" I did a sad shitty thing and I'm ashamed of it. Especially since it was against you. I AM sorry. If you never want to have anything to do with me again except to call me a bastard when our teams clash..well I wouldn't blame you."

" Arsehole..I'd call ya an arsehole...prick. " Toad mumbled

Scott released Toad and watched him slowly straighten up burying whatever emotion had gripped him before until he was his cold ruthless self again. As usual it made Scott sad to see that internal wall go up hiding even more of his humanity away from the world then his mutation alone did. He sighed.

" Toad if you and Mrs. Conner are together then I'm happy for you. Hell I think that's great.! Hey who knows? Maybe I'll get to be a best man someday. Fact I'd be honored if you ever settled down and needed one. "

Toad made a rude noise. " Mate the only thing I'll ever need ya tae be is me pall bearer. An I expect ya to bury me with two six packs and none of those smelly weeds people stick in those body boxes."

Toad carefully removed his smoke noting the damn thing had almost burned down low enough to burn his lips. Since Ivy had come into his life he'd collected more injuries then he'd ever had in fights with the X-men in a year.

" Uh Scott mate...you know bout her mutation right? "

Scott shook his head. " Just the bare necessaries. "

Toad calmly outlined everything Ivy had told him. When he was finished Scott's mouth was hanging open stunned.

" Good God! Toad she could...I mean everyone might..."

Toad nodded casually. " Yea mate. So when I say we're together...well ain't tha same atall as you an Jean. It's more like Rogue an tha Cajun bloke...wot tha 'ell 'is name? Romy? Romey? "

Scott shook his head still digesting the information he'd been given. " Remy. Or Gambit if you like."

" Whatever. " Toad actually didn't give a rat's ass what the Cajun's name was as long as he was keeping his exploding cards to himself.

" So..I don't expect to get..you know serious. I'd still like tae enjoy it though."

Scott shook his head. " I'd let you man but her partner, Don really loves her and there's no way he's gonna except this unless she meets with him and tells him herself. "

Toad felt that burning in his chest again over the mention of the pudgy human. Don was no model but he was a hell of lot better looking then Toad. He ran through some options in his head and came to a decision. He'd asked Ivy to trust him and she had. It was time he slid a little trust her way.

" Well mate if she's fine with it I can have her meet 'em at the park."

Scott frowned " Why not have her meet him at the school? Or even just go home to see him? "

" Because you silly sot she'll be walkin! I ain't makin 'er walk all that way! This is far enough. "

Scott crossed his arms and gave Toad a slightly disgusted look. " Oh come on man. surely you can pay for a taxi for her so she doesn't have to walk. "

Toad lit up a new Dunhill, took a long slow drag and then blew smoke at Scott who wrinkled his nose irritated.

" Mate ...taxi's won't even come to MY part of tha neighborhood. An tha ones tha' do come will shoot ya, rob ya, then go on to the next dumb arse to do tha same. With 'er skills she'll be a 'ell of alot safer on foot. I'll make sure of tha. Once she makes it I'll leave an give em privacy got things tae do an all. He can 'ire 'er a damn taxi from there if 'e can find one that'll bring 'er back to tha street she'll be usin."

Scott stared at him a moment. " You know what I've never liked about you Toad? "

Toad waited smirking.

" It's damn hard to tell when your lying and when your not. "

Toad pointed at Scott with his cigarette grinning.

" Well mate I know ya wish ya could be as good as me but 'ey, not everyone kin be as talented as I am mate! "

So saying he held his fist out so Scott could pop him some skin and turned to strut-limp off into the night.

Scott turned shaking his head to head towards his car Toad's voice drifting back to him in the darkness.

" Watch out for those fookin muggars Scotty boy! "


	21. Chapter 21

_**21**_

_**Ivy stared at Toad's ceiling lacking anything better to do. She'd been allowed to take care of her needs, had been fed, and then handcuffed again to Toad's metal headboard courtesy of Pietro. Ivy decided she could at least thank her lucky star, where ever it was, that this time he'd kept his belittling comments to himself. **_

_**Toad had arrived back half an hour later and Ivy had found fifteen animals in the stains of his ceiling. She had rather hoped he'd come in and release her. She'd had a lot of time to consider what he had said. A companion, wasn't that her wish day in and day out? Someone who wasn't afraid of her? Willing to take a risk?**_

_**Yes it was. She'd fought, how she had fought that notion. Telling herself over and over she was worse then a fool. A monster to even want to consider causing the death of another. She forced herself to remember every bitter memory of every single person who had died because of her. **_

_**Nothing would do what Ivy needed to have done. Harden her too human heart and stop the throbbing ache. She had been alone so long. If it hadn't been for Don she would have given up a long time ago. Toad had made her laugh. He'd saved her life. He had managed to make her loose her temper no mean feat. Ivy liked his company and was starting to miss him and his sexy voice when he left. There she had admitted it.**_

_**God didn't strike her dead for such taboo thinking. Truthfully she doubted God cared about one mutant among so many and was no doubt glad to know two of his children might find some happiness in their pathetic lives. Maybe enough to finally believe in hope.**_

_**In short she intended to stay with him willingly for month. Not shackled and a slave to his threats. She'd stay because she wanted to explore that strange concept of not being alone. Ivy doubted anyone else would understand except for Toad himself.**_

_**She could hear the brotherhood members all talking softly. No doubt going over the almighty plan. Ivy gritted her teeth. That was something she planned to interfere with. The question was how. The bombs they planned to plant in and amongst the stands and political venders would all go off at once killing not only the Senator, but his followers and any humans who were friends to the mutant cause as well.**_

_**No matter how she tried she was unable to wrap her mind around how this would possibly help the mutant cause. Killing thousands including mutants that might be there to protest peacefully so Magneto could take the stage to deliver some speech about mutant freedom through an uprising of mutants. All of them following his command of course. Didn't seem in any way shape or form seem to change anything other then to cause more hatred and a bigger bounty on the heads of the brotherhood members.**_

_**She yawned fighting to stay awake.**_

" _**Not getting the biggest body count my ass."**_

_**Ivy let a sharp cry when Toad suddenly landed over her his feet planted on each side of her chest. He must have leapt from his doorway to the bed and the springs sqeaked ryhthm for a moment before the bed calmed it's movements. He scooted back some so his face was more in line with hers and she wasn't eye level with his crotch. A move that Ivy appreciated greatly. **_

_**Toad placed one green hand on the wall above her head and cocked a pointed ear her way. **_

" _**Wot? Wot was tha luv? Didn't catch it from way over there..mind repeatin' it? "**_

_**While he waited he unchained her and casually set the cuffs on his table. **_

_**Ivy looked at him making sure his eyes met hers. Her decision to stay really rest one one thing.**_

" _**Toad...please don't do this tomorrow. Surely there's alternate way for Magneto to drag his self important ass up in front of a lot people and tell..."**_

_**Toad pressed one finger against her lips still looking at her. She instantly pulled her lips in some. An instinctive move to keep her saliva from causing any damage.**_

" _**Actually Ivy...thar's been a change o plans. Alot of changin's tae be honest. "**_

_**Ivy stared at him something that might have hope filling her breast. Since he was still mashing her lips she made an inquiring noise.**_

" _**I meant wot I said...we don't want the highest body count..."**_

_**Ivy narrowed her eyes realizing he'd heard her muttering just fine and done that whole show to keep her off balance. As if he could read her mind Toad grinned hugely at her.**_

" _**Me in tha brotherhood made some changes. Even Pietro was in agreement with em. I ain't gonna spill the beans because it's need tae know but I promise you...if it goes as planned there should be no casualties lest we have to defend ourselves or Magneto." **_

_**He sat back removing his hand and looked at her expectantly. Ivy realized he was looking for some sign of approval. She couldn't really jump for joy because it was still going to be an attack on a political rally...but she could at least let him know she appreciated the fact he'd taken her suggestion into consideration.**_

" _**Thank you. "**_

_**Toad gave her an odd look and she suddenly realized her words had come out breathlessly with an intimate throaty undertone. Not like an apology but more like a sultry invitation. She hastily cleared her throat and in her more normal tone tried again.**_

" _**I mean it...really thanks."**_

_**Toad gave her a curt nod. Ivy gave a tentative smile " So...are you coming to bed now? "**_

_**Toad stiffened slightly his going narrow with suspicion at this new attitude and began moving back towards the foot of the bed.**_

" _**Actually I wuz thinkin' I'd give ya peace an sleep on the couch. I'll cut ya some slack and just use one cuff. "**_

_**He went to slide off the bed and Ivy jacknifed up and grabbed his hand. " Toad wait! Uh..there's something I need to tell you!"**_

_**Toad slowly turned his head until his eyes rested on their entangled hands. He then raised his brows and rolled his eyes up to look at her. It was less a question and more a warning and she quickly let go of him.**_

" _**Um Toad...I've been..well I thought a lot about what you said ...you know about being a companion for a month...and uh..I've decided there's no more need for threats against my friends and no need to chain me anymore. "**_

" _**Really now. " Toad drawled as he stood up and crossed his arms in front of him to peer down at her. " an why is that pet? You decide you like me after all? Wait don't tell...It's the accent ain't it? When I say bloody 'ell you jist about soak yer knickers tha' it? "**_

_**Ivy glared at him then tossed the blanket aside and stood up crossing her own arms. Her face was burning from his snide remarks and she longed to let him have a piece of her mind. That would do nothing to convince him she wanted his company.**_

" _**Actually my reasons don't matter. Their mine and mine alone."**_

_**She took a deep breath. " Toad...I..I've decided I want to stay with you ...willingly...for one month unless you ask that I leave sooner."**_

_**Toad gaped at her. She couldn't have shocked him more if she had suddenly sprouted wings and flown off.**_

" _**Wot? "**_

_**Ivy nodded. " I want to stay..uh..with you."**_

" _**Christ all because of me bleedin' accent? Fook Ivy I'd feel pretty fookin' concerned for tha blokes a'walkin' tha' streets of London if you ever visited."**_

_**Ivy threw her hands up her temper slipping it's tight leash. **_

" _**Will you shut up about your damn accent? You know I could rent all of Gerald Butler's and Sean Connary's movies and watch them back to back and probably get my rocks off more then I could just listening to you curse at me and yell and threaten people. "**_

_**Toad gave her a chilly angry look resting his hands on his hips. He continued to stare at her an offended look on his face until Ivy snorted and turned to crawl into the bed wondering why she had even bothered with this ridiculous choice. **_

" _**Scotts."**_

_**Ivy frowned and turned back to Toad still fuming and confused. " What?"**_

_**Toad made a disgusted sound in the back of his throat.**_

" _**Connary an Butler are a couple of damn Scotts! There's no comparisons between us English and the bloody Scotsmen! If you find tha' choppy arse dialogue sexy then I KNOW yer not feeling a damn thing fer me own. "**_

_**While Ivy stared at him he angrily fished out a Dunghill, his lighter and proceeded to light up.**_

" _**I'm better then any fookin' dirty arse Scotsmen any day. Don't even matter if their a bleedin mutant or not. "**_

_**Ivy stared at him. His hands were fisted hanging loosely from his sides. Black eyes gleamed with offended anger narrowed daring her to question his arrogant boost. All in all he was the perfect picture of a man suffering from some imagined insult to his ego and was looking to puff up as much as possible to show who was boss.**_

_**It was such a typical male posture and expression that she did the only thing she could possibly do under the circumstance.**_

_**She laughed. Toad's eyes narrowed. Before he could demand what she found so funny she leaped off the bed throwing her arms around his neck and even planting a shy kiss on his cheek. While he goggled at her foolishly she grinned at him and said,**_

" _**And THAT is one of the hundred reasons I want to spend the month with you. I never know what's going to come out of your mouth and sometimes you make me laugh without any effort. You're not scared of me and you don't seem to mind spending time with me. "**_

_**For a minute the corners of Toad's mouth curled up and his eyes softened. Then to Ivy's dismay the moment was gone as quick as it had been born.**_

" _**So...ya really want to stay? With me? No games? "**_

_**Ivy eased away from him and nodded. " yes."**_

" _**Then you might not mind walkin' yerself to J. ave park tomorrow noon to talk to yer partner Don an one of tha X-men? You'll tell em you want to stay and their not to worry an get em off me back? "**_

_**Ivy's eyes widened " Don..I..what? "**_

_**Toad pinched her face between his thumb and forefinger. " **_

_**I could just kill em. All o em but this might work better...you show me you can be trusted by convincing them you wanted to come and you want to stay with me of yer own free will...why then I could let go of the shackles, the locked rooms...and those three pictures." **_

_**Ivy stared at him. " But...you want me to lie.." she gasped as Toad gave her face a hard sqeezed.**_

" _**Your choice princess. Pick one or the otha...I intend tae 'ave ya a month either way. Your choice to be comfortable or risk the lives of your nosy friends."**_

_**Ivy's shoulders slumped. So even something as simple as this had strings attached. A lie...well one lie wasn't so bad for what she would get was it? A month was not so long and the lives of her friends were worth a thousands lies. Toad wanted no interference...but that coin had two sides. Ivy wanted no interference either. For once she would free to explore ...carefully.. herself with another to support her if he would do so.**_

_**Toad made a disgusted sound and guided her to the bed intending o lock her up. He'd thought for sure she'd take that offer. Apparently the big slimy Toad man was to loathsome even for her.**_

_**He grabbed one of the cuffs and she grabbed his wrist.**_

" _**No need for that anymore. "**_

_**Toad scowled at her " An why is that pet? "**_

_**Ivy placed one hand on his chest and gently pushed him down into to bed with her. He was tense but allowed her to remove the cuff and actually grinned secretly to himself when her breasts brushed against his chin while she sat it back on her table.**_

_**Then to his surprise she cuddled up to his side moving the blanket between her face and his body to keep another unfortunate accident from happening. Her soft voice was muffled and her breath gently tickled it's way up his skin.**_

" _**I'm a monster Toad. A mutant just like you. I've been alone for a lifetime. Just for once...I'd like a companion to."**_

_**Toad quietly chewed over that. " So, you'll do it then? Tomorrow? "**_

" _**Hmmmm mmmm. " Ivy's eyes had already fallen shut and she enjoyed Toad's cool body which would keep her from sweating at night another worry she didn't have to be concerned about it.**_

_**Toad also drowsly fell asleep not bothering to get out of his day clothes. He'd be dressed and ready for the morning. He slid an arm carefully around her until one large thumb rested on her check. He began stroking that skin marveling at how she seemed to burn under her skin something to do with that damn blood of hers no doubt.**_

_**Their last thought as they drifted away into their respective dreams was,**_

' _**Now it's going to be simple. '**_

_**They couldn't have been more wrong. As Ivy's dreams took a more erotic turn something began to release itself into the air eagerly seeking and finding. For ivy this last act had stripped her inhibitions away and her body deciding that was it's que began to work over time for the faceless lover in her dreams.**_

_******* I've had no reviews for a long time*******_

_**Can I get some thoughts or two from my readers?**_


	22. Chapter 22

23

Ivy hadn't meant to have one of those dangerous dreams...the ones that made her feel like a venomous siren calling to it's prey...in fact her last such dream ..had come when she had been in college a hormonal teenager more willing to take a cold shower rather then cause the male population to decline. She had come up with an effective means for preventing it, at least consciously.

Every morning after she'd such a dream she had punished herself. Not enough to damage of course but enough to hurt. Then she'd spend time telling herself exactly why sex was bad, sinful, dirty, and only wicked degenerates did it. Oh, and she had also taken sleeping pills designed to put her under so deep that not even a dream involving an orgy of 5 English gents and a roll in in the lovely country English side ..or pub..pubs could be fun..would have penetrated that stupor enough for her to be effected.

Of course it hadn't quite done what she'd hope. Ivy still wasn't sexually " broken" as she wished to be. She still wasn't prudish by any means. Ivy still ogled men when their hard behinds where in front of her. She'd even admit to a porn or two...alright, alright it had been 4 times but the point was she'd been awake, aware, and in full control so IT wouldn't happen.

Now 4 days going into a week into her captivity she'd had no sleeping pills and had relied on sheer will power alone to control her dreaming state. Ivy had done this by telling herself she was being held a prisoner...had imagined bloody ways she might die or kill her captors and innocent bystanders. The fact that she had been scared for those she cared about and pissed over her kidnaping had helped. Pietro's anger and bitterness directed towards had insured a very unpleasant rest as well.

Tomorrow she'd go see Don. She didn't think she'd ever been so happy except when she graduated from the police academy and pretty much thumbed her nose at her stepfather.

Pietro had kept his snide remarks to himself which had made her day even better. She'd been helpful and done dishes and even cooked dinner. Blob and Mastermind had both thanked her and the Scarlet witch had actually talked to her for an hour about " Kindred the embraced " a favorite of both of theirs and a series which she had loved.

And now Toad. She'd stay for a month with him. Pretend that they were together and able to be friends with out the fear overshadowing everything they did. Oh she saw his mutation as well as anyone, how bizarre, and unpleasant some of it seemed. Yet she also saw something else and was seeing it more and more, either because she was a mutant or because she had actually taken the time to give him a good hard once over.

She saw what he would have looked like human the real Toad beneath one might say. A wise ass thin face that most people would have given seconds thoughts to before giving him trouble. Still punkish she had a feeling that was his natural style. Lean a bit to lean but with the muscular arms and legs that would have brought to mind a marathon cross country bicyclist or runner. His eyes...human looking or not they would still be piercing..calculating.

All these feelings from happiness to a slight, maybe more then a slight, feeling of lust as well as her own ego feeling good about herself for once floated on the top of her R.E.M sleep as she curled a little closer to Toad...

The unconscious part of her mind began to weave it's spell. Suddenly Ivy felt as though she had left her body and was wide awake. She didn't see the room around her nor her and Toad resting against each other. Instead it was as if her atrial self had flown into her subconscious and what she saw terrified her.

Dark wood surrounded her as she stood at the clearing of a lake. Ivy was a separate entity watching herself. Her dream self was nude. The world around her seemed to be a reality as thin as tissue paper. That wasn't what frightened her however.

What caused fear in her heart was the appearance of this thing that looked like her. Her hair was tangled and draped around her face curling gently around her breasts leaving her nipples exposed to the air where they hardened. Her long legs where parted suggestively leaving her intimate self open ..not like a sensuous place to be loved and adored but like a trap..hungry..waiting. Her arms hung by her sides but her fingers were curled into claws. The eyes. Ivy swallowed. It wasn't her..her eyes had never held such a fierce bloody hunger. A cold calculating gaze no more human then a viper's waiting to inject it's venom into a prey.

This thing trying to look like Ivy..but more sexually provactive and wild then Ivy herself had ever been..but of course it couldn't possibly be her, looked equally capable of fucking a person to their death or killing them in some other slow poisonous fashion. Of course that wasn't her she would never hurt anyone on purpose would die alone in someplace where her venom was useless before she'd ever become a creature who killed for the pleasure in it...why it was unthin...

' Are you sure? '

The thing didn't actually speak but she heard it in her mind. Of course I did Ivy thought..this is only a dream their isn't some other mad personality inside me...

' Do you KNOW what you are? '

' I'm Ivy Conner. Investigator with Valiant and Valiant recovery.'

She..the thing whatever it was laughed. It was a silent laugh...why am I talking to it Ivy wondered..it's ME I know who I am...

' Let me show you...'

She, it, stop it it's me..Ivy walked into the water of a lake that was dark and spotted with lilly pads bearing musical frogs and crickets. She walked until the water reached mid thigh then turned and spread her arms out. Her eyes were closed.

' You need to know...Know what? ...You need to understand..Understand what?...

' What you are. '

Suddenly the closed eyes snapped opened and Ivy in her dream cried out. The eyes were gone...no not gone..they were different...they glowed as if they were transparent and some strange glowing greenish blue brew swirled and flowed behind them from somewhere inside her.

Ivy moaned softly rolling away from Toad onto her back hands pulling to her chest in a gesture of protection. Toad's ear twitched and he snorted not fully leaving his own odd dream.

His dream was a dream where you had to be either fucked up, high, or just drunk to produce one of these doozies. He was butt naked wondering calmly around the city green ass exposed to whoever looked. Oh and he was eating Ice cream. Strawberry. His favorite. No one paid him any mind. Even the ice cream vendor had cheerfully wished him a g'day after dishing out two scoops onto a sugar cone. Since he wasn't stoned or drunk before he went to bed he decided to park his naked ass on a bench in a large business square and wonder just how fucked up his mind really was.

Ivy was suddenly one with the creature in the water. She fell backwards and began to sink. In this dark world where she watched the undersides of lilly pads with their long stems and their nurseries of tadpoles get smaller air was the last worry she had. The water was much deeper then it should have been. Ivy sensed as much as felt a barrier being passed one reality being exchanged for another. She stood up stiff as a board in the exact same pose she had fallen in as if a force had risen her.

The scene was hellish reflection of the one she left. Except all around was death. The trees, the grass, the creatures in the water dead. Their were skulls piled into a crude throne and Ivy let a silent scream at what she saw.

It was her bogey man.

It was the thing that hid in the closest and hissed lewd threats against her family.

It was the monster waiting to become her.

Ivy set on the throne. Her body gave off a radioactive glow that would have been beautiful if it hadn't been so deadly. Her eyes also glowed brighter now shiny with some emotion Ivy cared to not name. This creature..sensuous who had lured thousands to their doom smiled. She stood up cradling a skull in her arms and walked until she looked Ivy in the eye.

' What am I ? " she asked rubbing the bleached skull almost lovingly against her face.

' Death. ' Ivy Conner whispered back her eyes unable to look into those swirling pools of venom that where the monsters' eyes.

' Tsk tsk ' The other shook head in disappointment then suddenly grabbed Ivy pulling her close..close enough to see the brew that swirled under her skin and in her eyes.

' Poison. A vessel for poison. Even poison can be used for some good. You can't hide from it forever..and you really don't want to. '

Ivy tried to grabble with this part of herself only to find her hands limp her will weak.

' Poison. Yet not split into pieces..this body fluid does this and this one that...we are a whole. We are the end and beginning to all things. The Goddess tires...the God tires...it will soon be time for a great cleansing. That's what you are ... '

It shook Ivy causing her teeth to clack together.

' A Goddess Ivy...a Goddess of destruction so creation can begin anew.'

' NO! '

This time Ivy got the word out even out of her sleep and flopped more loosely to her back. Toad mumbled something cracked one eye that was more asleep then not. In his dream he was suddenly being quite made of aware and was drifting back to laugh heckle the fainting old ladies before sprinting off down the road causing accidents.

Ivy was dropped to the hard ground staring up in horror at the mad thing in front of her. Still holding the skull it knelt in front of her it's face almost sad.

' It hurts doesn't it? Don't fight it. Use it. What good is poison if it has nothing to destroy? Take pleasure in one thing you can '

It kneeled in front of her and and leaned forward slightly holding the skull out. Ivy began to babble feeling the air heat up a musky smell tickling her nostrils she realized she could see the pheromones released from the other like thousands of fire flies released to freedom. Ivy reflected bitterly on her past lovers...they'd mentioned a smell one that they had been unable to resist. The human counter part to a bitch in heat.

' I'm not you! ' Ivy gritted out.

The other moaned softly and fondled one breast. ' No...but you will be '

Suddenly Ivy was her. The sudden sense of freedom was heady to her senses, she sensed no rush of power instead she was filled with the knowledge of how truly dangerous she was and for the moment she was proud to be such a truly deadly predator. Her body..oh! The pheromone effected her as well. Stay a sleep Ivy she chanted. Nothing will happen if you stay asleep.

Ivy rubbed the skull up one bare glowing leg, it's muscles contracting slightly in pleasure and she allowed the bottom jaw to scrape the sensitive apex of her womanhood. She threw back her head and cried out uncaring who heard her. Who would stop her? Who would dare?

Toad grimaced and creaked both his eyes opened annoyed. There was smothered moaning behind him and some movement and for a moment he was back in the orphanage where two older boys had convinced this young gel to " do it " with them in the freaks bed. No doubt hoping to embarrass him. He could have saved them the trouble and mention he'd hadn't been embarrassed over anything since he was 2. He'd calmly watched until the girl had freaked out and run off and then he kicked the older boys out a two story window before going back to bed.

Two things suddenly brought Toad wide awake. The first thing was; not even eating his way through a room of viagra would give him the hard on he had now. Sadly his black tight leather pants where doing their best to de-man him for good. The second was a musky smell in the air that brought to mind tangled sweaty bodies.

Toad hopped out of the bed and managed to get his pants off before any permanate damage was done to his jewels. He then turned to eye the bed and the woman on it. She had her knees drawn up one hand jammed between them and the other fondling one bare breast that managed to slip out of it's shirt.

Toad stared and then in a delayed reaction he gasped. That pure sexual musk filled his head making rational thoughts break up and away like oil on water. Suddenly he was on her. Some small rational part of his mind watched this with a kind of stunned horror. His hands, he'd always told himself how cool looking they were, looked monstrous against her shirt. Toad simply ripped it open and off.

As fast as that he had her dangling off his arms while he suckled one breast, kissing it, tasting it, using the sharp points of his teeth to test the firm texture of it. For a moment Toad was simply lost. Ivy's free hand rested on his shoulder her short sharp nails digging bloody furrows into his odd skin. Toad hissed his own excitement cranking and simply ripped that shirt off also. He moved on to her other breasts with equal excitement her moans and soft cries spurring him on.

' Oh fook 'the boring rational part of him said. ' Fook I'm gonna rape er...I'm actually gonna RAPE 'er.' He knew it didn't matter what a woman was doing or wanting while asleep, drunk stoned, you took a woman that way it was force no if's ands or but's. He'd never raped a woman in his life...oh there had been one incident when he was younger, more stupid, and no goals in mind...but even then he hadn't been able to go through with it.

He tried to stop himself forced one wondering hand to grasp her bum away from any more dangerous parts. He was licking and gently biting his way up her throat enjoying how those strong tendons gave him hollows and crevices to explore. Toad tried to say her name but all that came out was a snarl.

Mentally Toad began to sing ' Hail Britannia ' trying to establish a little more control. It didn't help now that she was scouring his flesh with her sharp nails and murmuring his name proving that at least she knew who she was with. He mentally commanded himself to get up and leave the room.

The voice that exploded in his head was his...but never had he sounded so defensive, so protective a creature guarding his would be prey from someone else. Even if it was all him.

' MINE, she's MINE! You fooked up balmy punk yer missing yer fookin bullocks..well I ain't. I'm gonna fook her so deep and so hard she'll be seein green for the rest o 'er life! '

Toad managed to hope grimly that such a stupid line never actually cleared his own lips when suddenly he was looking into Ivy's face. Any rationality or hesitations went out the window. That beautiful face. The one that never held fear or disgust of him. He leaned down and kissed her deeply still thumbing one hard nipple.

Had anything ever tasted so good? No Toad was pretty sure there' hadn't been. Had he ever wanted a woman so bad in his life? Nope shagging had long ago become more trouble then it was worth. Her spicy flavor filled his mouth and suddenly he was light headed and dizzy enough to fall away from her thus saving his life. Toad tried to scramble off the bed but the best he could manage was to fall backwards like clumsy clown doing a prat fall. He sluggishly cleared the room in one leap until he was as far from the bed as possible.

But was it far enough?


	23. Chapter 23

23

Toad crouched low by the wall his bare skin pressed into it. Oddly enough the wall seemed warm instead of chilled as was it's usual state. Toad's eyes remained glued to the bed and he was attempting to take shallow breaths now. Ivy half rolled one of her hands reaching briefly at the air in front of her. Her eyes cracked open for a glow to spill from under the lids. Her low throaty voice could have done justice to a wank show. She had almost sounded like she was pain.

" Toad? Ooooooohh Toaad please...?"

Toad opened his mouth to call for the other brother hood members. Glowing eyes were never good. This scent that was near driving him batty was weakening his self control again...what little he had. So this seemed like the perfect time to call for help.

Toad shut his mouth with a snap nearly biting off the tip of his tongue.

When that help came barreling through that door who was most likely to fall prey first? Pietro that's who. The cocky bloke was a horn dog and didn't even try to hide it. With his speed he'd have her and probably hit the floor deader then a doornail cock up with a stupid arrogant grin on his face.

Now Wanda, well did it effect women as well as men? Toad decided that would be a site to see but not worth lives...well on other hand. Toad shook his head trying to get those carnal images out of his mind now was not the time to indulge in those types of thoughts. Still that was a thought that seemed to lodge in his head like splinter.

Toads hands began digging into the carpet dragging him towards the bed without him being quite aware of it. No, he was on his own, not only did he think they'd all get snarled in this bizarre issue but on a deeper level there was a much greener Toad frothing at the mouth that anyone else should see her like this but him.

His chest bumped the mattress and suddenly Ivy's face was close to his her hands in his hair. Her eyes were open slightly glazed but no hint of the light he'd thought he'd seen.

" Toad.."

She tried to pull him closer to kiss him and Toad quickly pulled off his Union Jack bandanna and stuffed it in her mouth. She let out a dreamy sounding squeak and Toad grabbed the handcuffs and cuffed her to the head board. That done he cautiously crawled into bed with her his self control hanging on by a thin thread of self preservation.

Ivy squirmed and bucked sensuously against him her eyes rolled back in ecstasy. Toad couldn't help but to commit that to memory..he'd never in his whole pathetic freakish life wrung a look like that from a woman. Bloody shame it was going kill him. Toad's eyes widened briefly. Wait...the only way she'd kill was if he actually had sex with her.

He was almost 40 years old for the love of God. He knew all the tricks for taking pleasure however you could without actually getting the main act. His first objective was to wake her up.

" Ivy? "

Nothing. It was as if she was in trance. He removed the gag.

" Ivy luv? Bloody hell you lil minx wake yer arse up! "

That got movement. Her moves were desperate and because he wasn't watching as careful as he should be he was caught unawares as her legs shot up wrapped tightly around him and sent him sprawling on top of her. Luckily the sheets and two blankets kept him safe but god he could FEEL her. She was hot and right there.

Toad fisted his hands in the loose blankets. He was starting to feel less human, less mutant, and more like base animal. His whole body seemed to be trying to over scream his brain. Just once God just once, one time, he felt like he was going to die if he didn't get that rigid part of himself inside that warm tight place that was so fookin' close.

Ivy guided his head closer to her ear and moaned " More."

" Damn it Ivy why can't ya...oh shit "

Toad dropped his head suddenly realizing what the problem was. Fookin bloody accent..fine if she can't hear over it she'll feel this. Toad raised up as much as his body could and slapped her.

He slapped her hard enough to turn her head and it didn't take but a split second for her to jackknife up and slam her forehead into his nose effectively dispelling a good amount of the pheromones effects on him with it.

Toad groaned cupping his nose. No blood but it was swelling. He glared at Ivy then tensed. The look on her face was pure murder as she slowly looked from one cuff to another then to her shirt where her breasts were exposed and puckered in the air and her shirt hung to tatters.

Her eyes followed his bare feet up his powerful legs and stopped on his cock who, despite a lack the powerful perfume to drive it on and a crack in the nose which made his eyes water, was reaching up to new heights obviously happy beyond pale that she was awake and looking at it.

It dawned on Toad how very very bad this looked. He held up his hands bringing his knees up so he could at least get a bit more decent.

" Uh...Listen Ivy..it ain't what you think...I can explain this really..."

Ivy stared at him for a moment.

" Toad exactly what do you think I'm thinking about? "

" Bout thousand ways tae skin me alive? "

Ivy sighed shakily and rattled her cuffs .

" Would you please let me out?"

Toad cautiously moved into to do so and grunted slightly, that scent was still there but much fainter, he was forced to take the keys and lean close to her, throat to reach each wrist. That scent was coming from her skin...but faintly as if someone had turned the hose down. Still there it was compelling, swirling in his mind making him want...well...when she was still cuffed she'd acted eager earlier and what if...

" Toad? Are you sniffing me? "

" No."

The first cuff came off and Toad considered just blowing his load on her bare skin. He was sure that would go over real well and be..well no pun intended...icing on tonight's cake. That or cutting his damn dick the hell? How often did he use it? Really? He moved under her other arm her warm bare breast pressed against him.

First thing was first. He was sending her back. In fact he'd inform her that this companion idea was a really bad idea on his part. He had a rather nasty thought of his bollocks turning a frosty shade of blue green and swelling up to the size of basketballs if she stayed. Yes sending her back was a sound notion no matter what a fun drinking companion she was.

He could do it. Of course he could. He fumbled with the key.

" Toad I've been wanting to ask you..."

" Yea? "

" Are you kinky? "

The key slipped from his grasp and he leaned up to see if she was serious. She was. Her face was tilted over her shoulder which was pulled back by the cuff lifting her breast up high enough he could just see it and she was asking him this shit?

" Wot do ya...who...me? Do I LOOK kinky to you? "

She looked thoughtful for a moment. " Yes actually. "

Toad huffed angrily and dug the key out freeing her. He was going to march out of here to an icy cold shower. No forget the fockin' shower he was gonna take the icebox out of the freezer and just stick his dick in it.

He'd had about enough games from this crazy poisoned yank. He'd take her home tonight so he could clear his head..not to mention other parts of his anatomy and start thinking clearly again. Preferably something that didn't involve rutting like an animal in heat.

Toad turned to get off the bed when much to his astonishment she tripped him and got his lower body and legs tangled in the blanket. As he rolled over ready to let loose with his tongue she crawled on him and sat down. Sat right on that covered throbbing part of him he was dying to choke. Literally.

"You tryin to kill me ain't ya? Couldn't ya do somethin' less painful? Supposed to be a joke? Git off me!"

She gave him an earnest look " I'm sorry you got tangled up in my ...I mean I hardly ever...it's been so long I just...I'll make it up to you now and this won't happen again after I speak to Don. I can control my saliva somewhat..uh..I told you that right?"

Ivy shifted on top of him uneasily.

Toad glared at her. He hadn't the foggiest clue what she was talking about. He knew one thing, this was the final straw. The wiggle had broke him. His hand shot out and tangled up in her hair pulling her close to his face. His voice made her tense. Rumbling up from his throat it was gravelly, deep and unlike she'd ever heard it.

" Scream now Ivy. Cause I've had it with bein the gent!"

Ivy's eyes widened "Why? "

" Cause yer bout to git it Toad style an after I'm dead ya ain't jist gonna deal with a green British ghost yer gonna deal with a pissed off, fooked in tha head, permanantly sober, green, British ghost!"

Ivy quickly wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. Toad started to draw back then gave up. What did it matter now? Might as well enjoy it. He laid back and pulled her on top of him enjoying the weight of her breasts against his own lean chest.

After a moment her spiciness filled his head and he fully expected to drop off into the darkness. Instead his head got a pleasant buzz that seemed to heighten up his senses. He groaned and ran his hands down her back marveling over the creamy skin and light musculature flexing beneath his fingers.

Ivy gently left his lips and laid a kiss on each brow before moving lower to the taut muscles in his neck. She payed special attention to the hollow of his throat and his Adam's apple which jumped under this attention.

Ivy moved lower. She licked each nipple gently causing him to groan again and trailed her hand down his lean hard stomach. The blankets were shifted off of him and his eyes, which had been closed while he basked in the pleasure of just being touched, flew open. He tried half heartedly to warn her;

" Uh Ivy..."

As soon as she closed her soft fingers around him he lost it. With a shout he bucked up nearly sending her across the room. She would have made an unpleasant contact with his wall if he hadn't grabbed her and held her so tightly against him her breathed was knocked out of her.

Ivy planted her knees down so she didn't hurt him and blushed as he ejaculated into her hand the tip of him rubbing a damp tempo against her stomach. For a moment she was suspended like that suddenly wishing like mad this could have been a normal encounter.

With an ' Oh fuck...' Toad collapsed on the carpet. One shaking hand came up and rubbed his brow while he tried decide if he should be embarrassed , pissed, or just happy. He decided to just be glad his bollocks weren't bursting anymore.

" Uh I'm sorry..I didn't realize.."

" Shut up afore I gag ya again. " Toad followed this by simply dumping Ivy off him and dragging himself up to get to his smokes.

Ivy covered up and glared at him.

" Well excuse me for trying to be considerate! "

Toad glared back at her and dragged his pants on not bothering to zip it up.

" Next time shove yer consideration...I ain't hard up fer hand jobs alright? I do tha well enuff on me own...if ya can't put out then leave me be. I don't want yer fuckin pity. "

He lit up then blew smoke towards her red face. " Yer damn lucky I got some respect fer me life and I didn't jist rape ya. Shame not all blokes do includin yer unlucky ones."

He wasn't sure why he was bein pissy. Ivy stood up and Toad warily watched her..she was a cop..an investigator and trained to fight. Not to mention she could apparently reduce men to slobbering drooling saps.

Had he really been ensnared that easily? He angrily went to the door to get cleaned up. He paused at Ivy's low furious voice.

" I don't pity you, you arrogant creep! I should though.." she gave him one of the coldest looks he'd ever seen and suppressed a shiver.

" After all it's a shame you're so inexperienced you can't recognize desire when it's your face. It takes a man to do that though. Shame you're never find out what a great lay I really am. "

Ivy couldn't believe the words coming out of her mouth. A great lay? Yeah..in some mutant free world...but she was frustrated and angry and it was easier to snap at him then cry in front of him. Not that a jerk like him would care.

Toad thoughtfully opened the door and calmly took another drag.

" Ya know it IS a shame... did ya know some male toads can have it up for hours? Days? Sometimes weeks? Until the female is fully satisfied she's fertilized. Since I'm not really a man it's a shame you'll never find out if I 'appen tae share tha' lil quirk with me namesake.

And with that parting shot Toad shut the door on Ivy's astonished face.


	24. Chapter 24

**25**

He's an ass. Mentally unstable. Ivy coldly stared at the sidewalk as she walked towards the park. Sometimes weirdly sweet. Who is he? Really? Do I really know this man I'm committing a month of my life to?

That morning she'd been surprised to get a wake up call with a sharp slap on the rump. She was ashamed to admit she had squealed like a little girl trying to remember how she'd ended up in just a button up shirt and panties. The green jerk of all men..toads..whatever had hauled her up to her feet.

" Good morning to you too. " She had muttered.

" Ain't it fine? Nice weather fer walkin and blowin things up. "

Ivy stiffened at the reminder that today he was going to participate on a small scale attack against a pro senator. Toad puffed on his Dunhill and begin digging around in his beat up queens face wallet. He tossed a five on the table. Ivy stared at it confused.

" Uh in case you get hungry or thirsty or something. "

Toad quickly shoved his wallet back into wherever he secreted it as if trying to hide his gesture. He waved vaguely towards the crisp bill.

" Keep tha' change. "

His other hand suddenly appeared from behind him and he flipped the photos up for her to see. Ivy held her breath watching as he slowly lowered them to his ashtray. He then used his cigarette to light them up.

Both of them watched as the edges of those three faces curled up and burned away to ashes. It seemed symbolic somehow of her dream and Ivy shivered softly. Toad observed her under his brow with his arms crossed.

" I'm gonna trust you. An I don't trust nobody. "

Ivy stared at him. She had a feeling he was trying to impress a point on her but she wasn't a hundred percent sure. No mention of last night thank God. She did know there was only one answer to his statement.

" Thank you. Again. "

Toad opened his mouth then thought better of whatever he was going to say and closed it.

" You'd best be back here tonight Ivy. Or I'll be angry like ya never seen on anyone."

" Fine. " Ivy glared at him waiting for him to leave so she could dress and leave for the park.

Toad turned to walk off then he paused and suddenly pulled her her hair down with a clean tug. Before her eyes he slid her dark blue scrungy on his wrist like a bracelet.

" In case I blow up Some peice o you be with me. " He said.

He fluffed her hair around the sides of her face while she stared at him astonished. Once he had it how he liked it..down, framing her face and curling almost heart like around her breasts. He stood back and stared at her a moment. Toad cleared his throat.

" Ya look beautiful with you're hair like that...I...I like it. Gotta go."

Toad hurried out of the room calling himself some choice names and figuring she'd probably get a buzz cut now. Nobody wanted to be admired by him.

He joined the Brotherhood as they readied themselves and hurried out. Timing would be critical in this mission.

Ivy passed a Bakers shop and paused to buy herself a cup of coffee and croissant.

The lovely park walls came into view and she frowned slightly. Her favorite part of the wall, were wild Ivy grew had been knocked down at the top. It almost looked like someone had blown it up somehow.

She shook her head munched on her breakfast coming around to the front where a pair of scrolled iron gates stayed open 24 hours a day 7 days a week. She thought of Ivies. Wild Ivies. Go were the wind blows you until you find that one special spot where you could stretch and grow and belong.

" IVY! "

Don's weight crashing into her knocked her roll out of her hand and she made a pitiful grab at it before it hit the dirty sidewalk. She laughed,

" Don! I've missed you to...NO! Don't make me spill my coffee! "

" Ivy thank God you're safe! You're not hurt? "

" Not at all. " Ivy suddenly noticed a young man watching them. Though he was clean looking and well dressed something about his glasses bothered her.

" Don I need to get some things from our apartment. I left in such a hurry I clean forgot to grab anything...and we can talk before I head back..."

" No. No way are you going back to that...that...slimy bastard! I know you were taken against your will Ivy. It won't happen again. "

Ivy pulled away from Don and gave him a cold look. " Yes I was kidnaped. It was a mistake and I intend to stay for a month with Toad so you're right it won't happen again. "

" Toad? Jesus jumped the cross you WANT to stay with a freak named Toad? "

" I know this isn't my business, " The young man stepped forward " his name is Mortimer if that makes you feel better. You should get to know him before you give him the status of a cockroach."

" Mortimer? " Ivy bit her lip trying not to smile. She thought of his piercings and black leather pants. The arrogant sneer and the union jack bandanna. A Mortimer he did not resemble at all.

The young man smiled at her seeming extremely pleased. " I call him Mort. Sometimes Morty..but he hates that.

This time Ivy did giggle.

Don frowned "Woa, woa, woa! Ivy no! this guy isn't some guy you can pick up! He's a terrorist ! He's not right in the head! Ivy he's dangerous and crazy enough to kill himself to kill you don't you get that babe? God please don't go back to it."

" It? " Ivy raised her brows " It? Is that what I am too Don? An "it" .

Don rubbed his face harshly. " You know what I mean Ivy. He's a mutant..fine..he's homely..well I'm no prince myself...you like him for God knows what reason ..good for you. "

Don took her arm gently " Ivy...you saw his file. Can you tell me that no single person, mutant or not thought they were safe with him before the Brotherhood launched an attack under Magnetos orders? An attack HE was part of? "

The young man stirred and Don shot him a warning glare. Scott set his mouth into a hard line and grimly waited. Don had accepted all of them of course. The X-men.

However as far as first impressions Toad had thrown him through a pub window tried to strangle his partner and then kidnaped her. Even Scott was hard pressed to try to smooth this over or explain those actions.

He needn't have bothered Ivy projected such a determined icy demeanor that made Don groan causing Scott to grin briefly.

" Look Don. You told me to take a vacation. I am. You told me I can find a way to come to terms with my mutation. Toad would understand being an outcast more then anyone and is better then any therapist out there!"

Scott bit his lips to keep from laughing at a picture of Toad in a doctor's coat facing some poor patient on a reclined chair screaming ' That's it? That's IT? That's yer fuckin' problem? You could have a face like this mate! Get out of me bloody office! An yer payin double me fee jist fer wastin me fuckin' time! NEXT!'

"As for my safety..' Ivy continued suddenly sounding grim ".you know I'm more dangerous then all the brotherhood put together with Magneto combined. "

Don threw up his hands and walked a ways away shaking his head and cursing the fact God ever bothered to install common sense and stubbornness into women all at the same time without giving him the manual to get through it all.

Ivy glanced at her watch. She needed to move along. The brotherhood intended to strike at 3 pm exactly.

" Don please I don't have time to argue I want to get back as soon as possible."

" What's the rush? "

Both men were staring at her now suddenly on alert. Damn damn damn why couldn't anything go her way. She tried to fan out some excuses. Toad was shy? Scott wouldn't buy it for a minute. There was a great soap on? Don knew she hated soaps. Suddenly she hit on the number one excuse that had saved women for years.

" I'm on my period. " She said primly.

They gaped at her then Don sucked in a breath and cough into his hand. A very red faced Scott was no long looking her way was in fact looking off into the far distance shifting his feet no doubt wishing now he hadn't stuck around.

Ivy continued innocently " I'd really like to get home now so I can you know...change into those special sponges...and pack some things I need. It's my first day and the cramps are a real bi..."

" Alright! Alright! For fuck's sake Ivy what are you trying to do? "

Don glanced around as if he expected a group of people to be inches from his back staring at the back of his head...maybe even his mom with a spatula in her hand ready to wack him for prying into a woman's business.

" I'm trying to impress upon you the urgency that I get what I need and head back so I can lie down with my chocolates and a good smut book. If I DON'T get what I want very soon..."

Scott's voice cut her off " Uh Mrs. Conner? I waved you a Taxi down." Ivy headed smugly over to the heavenly yellow cab.

" Thank you Scott I..oh dear...I don't think I have the money for the fare maybe one of you guys could just walk me..? "

" Here! " Two crisp twenties were thrust into her face.

" I've got it." Don muttered.

" Well she might need to buy uh...you know..she might...here just take it."

Scott stammered slightly. Jean had never been so up front about her feminine problems. Though he knew she had them. For a moment he pitied Toad this seemed to be a case were a male toad..rather then getting the princess...wound up being eaten by her instead. Frog legs a la carte'

" Thanks boys! I'll call you Don ! "

Ivy blew a kiss and hung out the window waving to them. Thankfully Don had forgotten ...she didn't get a period not since she was 9. Then she grimly sat down and began to plan. She'd have to make a quick stop to her storage to get all the weapons she wanted but she would do so. Again she glanced at her watch. Two fifteen. Perfect timing. She gazed out the window unaware that the adrenalin coursing through her veins made her eyes shine to the point they seemed to glow in the dim light.

" I don't really think she was on her period do you? " Don asked Scott sourly.

Scott turned and gave him a disgusted look. " You expect me to know? I'm leaving."

As he stalked to his convertible Don called out " Hey can I get a ride? "

Scott studied him for a moment thoughtfully.

Don Solemnly raised his hand and placed the other of his heart.

" I'll only talk about Baseball, hot rods, and manly things. I swear it."

Scott chuckled and shook his head.

" All right get in. But when I leave for the rally with the X-men you'll need to find your own way there. "

Don gave him suave look.

" Hey I used to be a cop. I'll have a ride. Trust me. "


End file.
